On the Run
by smartiegirl800
Summary: Alexei Volkov thinks he's sentenced to a summer in Moscow, away from his friends and Grace. But when unexpected circumstances bring him back to Adria, he gets into more trouble than imaginable. Will he be able to make it out alive, without giving up everything that he loves? This is See How They Run in Alexei's POV.
1. Chapter 1 - Welcome to Moscow

**Hey guys! Long time no see! I hope you've all been doing well. These last several months have been pretty crazy for me, going through the rest of the school year then starting up my summer activities. I finished the entire first draft of On the Run a few weeks ago and I decided now was a good time to start posting it and sharing it with all of you. There's still quite a bit of editing that needs to be done, especially for the earlier Adria chapters, but the Moscow chapters are looking pretty good. **

**If you left a review on Falling for You after it was completed, I'll reply to it in the author's note at the start of its last chapter. Going to do that later this week since getting this chapter posted was my main priority. **

**Read on for a wild start to Alexei's adventures in Moscow, 6000 words full of drama and craziness!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Embassy Row series and all the characters (except for Tanner and Jordan, who are my own creations). They belong to Ally Carter. I am merely using her characters and plotline to create this fanfiction. This fanfiction is purely for entertainment purposes and would not exist without Ally Carter's wonderful works. **

**The events that happen in this fanfiction are not meant to be representative of real life; any similarities are purely coincidental. The characters' actions may not always reflect my own opinions. Based on what happens in this chapter (spoiler alert), I do not condone underage drinking or drug use or illegal driving without a license but I support the rights of all who are marginalized in our society, such as those who identify as LGBTQ.**

* * *

Chapter One: Welcome to Moscow

I stared out the window as the pilot announced our descent, bringing us into Moscow. My second home. If my father hadn't accepted the position as the military and security adviser at the Russian embassy in Adria, effectively kick-starting his prosperous embassy career, then we would have lived in Moscow. I sometimes wondered how my life would have turned if that were the case.

The jet touched down on the runway, making it official. I was no longer in Adria. I was in Moscow, thousands of kilometres away from my true home. Even though I was Russian by birth, Adria was where I really felt at home. After all, I had lived there almost my entire life. Now that I was in Moscow, my heart longed for Adria and everything I had left behind. Like my frequent hangouts with Tanner and Jordan. My cushy lifestyle, backed by the resources of the embassy. And Grace. I had never gotten a chance to say goodbye to her before I left. How was she doing now? Would she be back to her normal self again? Or would the meds still be clouding her mind, turning her into someone she wasn't?

I had no idea if Grace knew that I was heading back to Moscow. Would anyone have told her? Or would they have kept that from her, given her fragile mental state? I hoped she wouldn't react poorly to me leaving, if she ever found out. The last thing I wanted was for her to think I had left her. I would never do that of my own volition, not without telling her first. Or maybe I could run away with her, to somewhere our ethnicities wouldn't matter and we would be free to be in a relationship. The thought of that made me miss her and wish I could have spoken to her one last time before I left.

The jet rolled to a stop. I grabbed my duffel bag and my backpack, following my father onto the tarmac, where we were welcomed by a couple of government officials. As we walked through SVO airport, Moscow's largest international airport, to the waiting limo, my father briefed them on what was happening in the Russian embassy in Adria. I trailed behind them, only half paying attention with my ear buds still in.

As soon as the limo pulled onto the main road, taking us away from the airport, the three of them all lit cigarettes. I wrinkled my nose, bracing myself for a long car ride. I had forgotten how wide spread smoking was in Moscow and how it was possible to smoke anywhere. That was one thing I'd never get used to. Thanks to my father's constant smoking, I had developed a strong distaste for it. Even though I had grown to not mind if others smoked around me, I knew I'd never smoke a cigarette in my life. I never wanted to turn into my father, constantly going for smoke breaks and destroying my lungs.

There was still quite a bit of late evening traffic. I kept my ear buds in the whole time, messaging and catching up with my Moscow friends. I took a couple pictures of the busy streets, with the sun setting over the skyline, posting them to my Snapchat story. Unsurprisingly, Tanner was the first to view them, sending me Snaps of how he already missed me.

After a long car ride, we pulled up to one of the apartment buildings on Ostozhenka Street, one of the ritziest streets in Moscow's historic city centre. It was home to all sorts of luxurious condos, historic sights, and embassies. We took the elevator up to the penthouse condo, courtesy of the Russian government. It was where we stayed whenever we were in Moscow. It was large and spacious, taking up the entire top floor. I was met with the familiar foyer, with high ceilings, floor to ceiling windows, and skylights, as the elevator opened up into the condo.

"You are free to do as you please. I will be in the meeting room if you need me," my father said, effectively sending me off. I nodded, heading over to the bedroom I always stayed in. Once inside, I immediately started unpacking. I wanted to get settled in as soon as possible then get some dinner and have an early night.

After a quick shower, I felt much more refreshed. I pulled on a clean button-down and a pair of skinny jeans. After texting my father, letting him know that I'd be heading off to grab some dinner, I took the elevator down to the lobby. When I got there, I was met with three faces I had not been expecting to see.

"What are you guys doing here?" I asked, trying to hide my shock at seeing my Moscow friends. Although I had messaged them on the plane here, saying I would hang out with them, I hadn't been expecting to see them this early.

"Alexei, long time no see," Roman said, his face breaking out into a grin. He wrapped me up in a guy hug. Roman was my oldest Moscow friend. His father was involved in the Russian government and worked closely with my father. They were constantly in communication on the state of affairs in Russia and Adria. I had known Roman my whole life and hung out with him every time I was in Moscow. He was really easy going and was the kind of guy that everyone got along with. He had that natural charisma and could easily talk to literally anyone.

"How have you been?" I asked, once we broke out of the guy hug.

"Pretty good. You?" Roman replied. I greeted Eugene and Josef in similar ways. I wasn't as close with them as I was with Roman. Eugene was the quiet to Roman's loud whereas Josef was the snobby to Roman's chill. Eugene's father was a doctor and Josef's father was a high-profile media personnel. Between the three of them, especially Roman and Josef, I often got a lot of dirt on what was happening behind the scenes in Moscow.

"I'm beat from flying. I was going to grab some dinner and have an early night," I said. I was met with three stunned faces.

"Dude, there's no way you're having an early night," Eugene said. "Not with the sick party at Josef's tonight."

"My parents are out of town for the next little while so my brother's hosting a party at their estate in Nikolino," Josef explained, clicking around on his phone. "It's only just started." Nikolino was a village about an hour away from Moscow, known for its luxurious mansions. Josef was from one of the richest families in Russia; it didn't surprise me to find out his family owned a property in Nikolino.

"So we figured we'd come get you," Roman said, flashing me his winning smile. It was his signature move for convincing anyone to do anything. With that smile, I knew there was no way I'd be getting out of this.

"Everyone we know from school will be there, as well as a ton of my brother's uni friends and old high school classmates," Josef said.

"Perfect place for you to make your grand homecoming entrance and score some chicks," Roman said, elbowing me. He flashed me a cheeky grin and a wink. "We've got the car waiting outside." I sighed, following them out of the lobby. So much for having an early night. The last thing I wanted was to go to a party but unfortunately, it didn't look like I had a choice.

"Alexei, you have your license, right?" Eugene asked me.

"Yes," I replied, immediately starting to feel suspicious.

"Perfect. Since you're the only licensed driver here, we figured we'd get you to drive us back to Josef's," Roman said, giving me that winning smile again. I immediately balked. Moscow traffic and drivers were much crazier than in Valancia. I didn't have much experience driving in Moscow and really did not want to be responsible for getting the four of us to the party.

"How did you guys even get here in the first place?" I asked, giving them a questioning look. The legal driving age in Russia was eighteen, compared to sixteen in Adria. There was no way any of them would have their license yet.

"There may or may not have been some illegal driving," Eugene said casually, heading over to the back-seat doors.

"Don't worry, you can always bribe the officers if needed. My dad's name should be more than enough to get us out of any awkward situations. If not, then we pull out Josef's dad's name and we'll get out for sure," Roman said, with a wink. He dropped the keys into my hand. "Have fun, comrade." With a sigh, I unlocked the car and slid into the driver's seat. Eugene and Josef climbed into the back seat while Roman got into the passenger seat.

"All you have to do is drive. I'll tell you where to turn, what all the speed limits are, all that jazz," Roman said. "Now let's get this show on the road." I started the car and turned onto the main road, really hoping I wasn't going to regret this. Even though I had my license in Adria, I wasn't sure if that automatically made me legal to drive in Russia. If I was charged for illegal driving here, I couldn't imagine what my father would think. The last thing I needed was to develop a criminal record this summer, especially after that encounter with the Secret Service agents last night.

True to his word, Roman did an excellent job of navigating. He gave me really clear directions, right down to which lane I should be in. The driving would have been a breeze, if it weren't for all the crazy drivers. Because of my limited driving experience in Moscow, I was going slightly slower than the speed limit. As it turned out, everyone else was at least five or ten kilometres above the speed limit. Other drivers kept cutting me off and passing me.

"Can't you go any faster?" Josef complained from the back seat, as we got honked by yet another driver. "My brother is wondering where the hell we are."

"I'm trying," I said, shoulder-checking in an attempt to switch lanes and merge onto the highway. I was trying to find a suitable opening to get in but the cars kept zooming by too fast.

"One of us should have driven," Josef said, the annoyance evident in his voice. I ignored his comment and focused my attention back on the adjacent lane. Eventually, I was able to get in and we continued on our way. We didn't have any more mishaps although there were still quite a few complaints about my driving, from both the back seat and the honks I received.

When we got into Nikolino, I was astounded by the size of all the mansions. This was pure luxury, putting the embassies in Valancia to shame. Josef directed us to the largest mansion on the street, with sprawling front gardens and pillars framing the front door.

"Wow, there's a lot of people here," I said, pulling into an empty spot at the end of the long, winding driveway already filled with cars. Trying to get out after the party would be fun.

"Like I said, anyone who's anyone will be here tonight," Josef said. "It's going to be a sick party. We'll be going all night." I internally facepalmed as I killed the engine. So much for hoping I could sneak out early. From where we were parked, I could already hear the pounding bass of an EDM song. Roman motioned for the keys, which I gladly handed back to him. He got out of the car, heading over to the trunk to grab a few six-packs of beer.

"We're getting smashed tonight!" Roman exclaimed. Eugene and Josef nodded in agreement, as we started up the driveway.

"Hey, Alexei, you should get smashed too," Eugene said. "Maybe that'll help you loosen up and get some chicks."

"Um, no thanks," I replied. "Who's going to drive us back if we all get smashed?"

"Just stay over and crash on the floor," Josef said. "My parents aren't here and even if they were, they wouldn't care. No one will be any the wiser."

"I'm okay, thanks. Someone has to be the responsible one here," I said, giving them all a pointed look. Roman just rolled his eyes and continued talking about all the shots he was going to do.

When we walked into the house, the party was in full swing. The music was almost deafening and the house already smelled of alcohol and cigarette smoke. I could only imagine how much worse that smell would get as the night progressed. Eugene and Josef immediately headed over to the bar to grab some drinks. I followed Roman into the kitchen, where he dropped off the six-packs.

"Make yourself at home," Roman yelled over the music. "Everyone will want to see you again." I nodded meekly, following him over to the bar. Roman grabbed a cocktail, filled with all sorts of alcohol, while I opted for a Sprite. There was no way I'd be drinking tonight, let alone getting smashed. People immediately started flocking to Roman, wanting to talk to him. He introduced me to quite a few people, many of whom I recognized. If I wasn't in Adria, then I would have attended the same private school as everyone. It was weird to think that I could have been classmates with all these people.

"Hey, Roman!" a girl said, coming up to us. She was on the shorter side, with long, straight, platinum blonde hair. She was wearing a crop top with a short skirt and had tons of makeup on. I didn't miss the red plastic cup she was holding.

"Yulia!" Roman said, greeting her with a hug. "Nice to see you here. Do you remember Alexei?"

"You're from Adria, right?" Yulia asked, turning to look at me. She looked vaguely familiar, like I had met her before.

"My father is the chief of staff to the Russian ambassador there," I explained. "I was actually born in Moscow but I've lived in Adria pretty much my entire life."

"Ooh, what's it like there?" Yulia asked, with an interested look.

"There are a lot of fancy parties, straight from the nineteenth century. It's so traditional but so modern at the same time. Other than that, it's pretty quiet. Lots of tourists, mild, tropical weather, sandy beaches. It's your typical Mediterranean country." She smiled, asking me more about my life in Adria. Surprisingly, I found myself enjoying the conversation with her, as we swayed along to the pounding music. She was pleasant and easy to talk to, seeming genuinely interested in me. I hadn't even noticed Roman had left until much later, when I spotted him doing shots with Eugene and Josef.

"Do you want to join them?" Yulia asked, following my gaze to the shots table.

"No, I'm okay, thanks. I'm not drinking tonight," I replied, holding up my cup of Sprite.

"One shot won't kill you," Yulia said, giving me a daring smile. "You should live a little." I laughed.

"Parties aren't really my thing," I replied. "Roman dragged me here and I didn't really have a choice."

"Not a party guy, huh?" Yulia mused. I simply shook my head in response. "Whatever floats your boat. I'm heading over to the shots table, whether you're coming or not." I watched as she made her way over there, grabbing a shot glass from Josef and downing its contents in one smooth gulp. Roman gave her a congratulatory pat on the back then headed over to where I was.

"Alexei, you're missing out," Roman said, draping an arm around my shoulders. He was already slurring his words, although I knew he wasn't even close to stopping yet.

"Nah, I'm good, thanks," I replied.

"Man, living in Adria has turned you all soft." Roman shook his head. "Can't you guys party it up there?"

"We do. We're just more responsible with our parties." Roman gave me a disbelieving look then headed off to talk to more people. It was crazy how different the parties were in Adria, compared to Moscow. Lila had all her parties under strict control and would absolutely lose her mind if she was here. She would never let her parties get this crazy and especially wouldn't allow underage drinking or smoking. Here, it seemed like almost everyone was holding some kind of drink, regardless of whether they were legal or not.

I headed into the kitchen, where it was much quieter. I grabbed a plate, filling it with some potato chips and a couple slices of pizza. I conversed with the other people in the kitchen, most of whom weren't the biggest fan of parties like me. Just like Yulia, they were all interested in hearing about my life in Adria. It was a breath of fresh air, away from the craziness of the living room where all the action was.

After a while, Roman wandered into the kitchen, looking for snacks. He spotted me, stealing a couple chips off my plate.

"Alexei, why have you been hiding in here?" Roman drunk-whined. He had clearly had more drinks since I left him. "We're all missing you."

"I've been perfectly happy in here," I replied. Roman shook his head.

"It's too quiet. You need to live." Without warning, Roman took my hand, dragging me back into the living room. Once again, I found myself smack in the middle of all the crazy party action, with Linkin Park pounding throughout the house. He started dancing, drink in hand. I half-heartedly moved along to the music.

"Ayy, that's more like it!" Roman exclaimed. His encouragement in mind, I threw all caution to the wind, trying my hardest to get lost in the music. It worked pretty well, as I was more or less able to forget about everything and just dance. I found myself almost having a good time, despite the fact that this was not my type of scene. Soon, Yulia approached us. Roman took that as his cue, joining another group of people, leaving me with Yulia.

"Are you having a good time?" She asked, shouting over the music. I nodded, actually enjoying myself for once. She grabbed my hand, squeezing it lightly. It was enough to send a small spark up my arm. I looked down at her, seeing a radiant smile on her face. I wasn't sure if it was because she was genuinely happy or if she had had too many drinks tonight. It was probably a combination of the two.

We danced hand-in-hand. She lost her balance quite a few times and would have fallen if I hadn't been there to catch her. Clearly, she had also had a few too many drinks tonight.

"Are you going to be okay?" I asked, after she stumbled for the umpteenth time.

"I'm fine. Stop worrying about me, Alexei," she said, with a giggle.

"You've had a lot to drink tonight." I gave her a concerned look, paying particular attention to her precariously high heels.

"No, I haven't." She looked up at me with innocent eyes. I would have believed her if I hadn't seen her doing shots earlier. "I'm fine. Let's keep dancing." She pulled me over to a quieter corner of the living room, just as Lorde's "Sober" started pounding over the speakers. We kept dancing like before, except in the presence of less eyes. I was able to get a good look at her. She had a cute, pretty face, a petite frame, and a gorgeous smile. Coupled with her long, platinum blonde hair, she was definitely the kind of Russian girl that my father would approve of. I couldn't stop myself from staring into her eyes as we danced. She was singing along to the song, dancing without a care. She looked up at me, like we were in our own private world. Entranced by her gaze, I found myself getting lost in the funky bongo beats of the music, moving my body, not caring if anyone saw me. Slowly, she ran her fingers up my arm, paying particular attention to my bicep. Before I knew what was happening, she was caressing my neck.

"Come here," she whispered. I leaned towards her, like I was under some kind of spell. She pushed herself up onto her tiptoes and I leaned down, our lips meeting in the middle. I let myself give in as we deepened the kiss, her tongue moving with mine. Her hand tightened on the hem of my shirt, wanting more. I put my arm around her waist, pulling her closer, until her body was up against mine. I relished in the heated passion, as our lips kept moving. She tasted like alcohol, which was odd, as that was something I normally wouldn't associate with her. I imagined Grace would taste like something sweeter, maybe vanilla or strawberry.

That was when the sudden realization hit me, like a bucket of cold water had been poured over me. I wasn't in Adria and the girl in front of me wasn't Grace. I immediately pulled away from Yulia. The song had ended, with Lorde's voice fading away on the outro.

"What are you doing?" Yulia asked, pouting. She made a move towards me, to pull me back into the kiss.

"No, I can't," I replied, my head spinning. I was at a wild house party in Moscow. I had kissed a girl that wasn't Grace and I actually found myself enjoying it. I wasn't sure if it was because I actually felt something for Yulia or if the passion was just satisfying some animalistic need inside of me. I was tempted to go with the latter because as much as I enjoyed talking to Yulia tonight, I had only just reconnected with her. There was no way I could have feelings for her so soon. Besides, I still had my feelings for Grace to sort out, which was already a mess in itself.

"Why not?" Too soon, her lips were on mine again. I immediately pushed her away from me.

"Because you've had too much to drink and I don't want to take advantage of you in this state." That was a reasonable truth that made me feel better about not kissing her. I was glad Mikhail had taught me how to treat women right. I didn't ever want to take advantage of another girl, whether that was Yulia, Lila, or Grace.

"Alexei, I'm fine," Yulia protested, although her slurred speech indicated otherwise. "You're ruining all the fun."

"No, Yulia. It's getting late and I should be taking you home. I can't imagine how awful you'll feel in the morning." I started racking my brain for more excuses as to why I shouldn't keep kissing her.

"I'll be fine. I'm used to this. Come on, Alexei." She started caressing my neck again, her fingers running through the ends of my hair.

"No, I –" I started, before an awful retching sound filled the air. I turned to find Eugene throwing up in the middle of the dance floor. People stepped out of the way, creating a buffer zone around him. Clearly, he had drank too much tonight. Seconds later, the smoke alarm went off.

"Looks like someone is hotboxing in the empty closet again," Yulia said, rolling her eyes. Her nonchalant attitude worried me. It sounded like that was a normal occurrence. If that happened in one of the embassies, everyone would lose their minds.

"Alexei, why aren't you dancing?" Yulia asked, looking up at me with a pout.

"I need to make sure Eugene is okay." Ignoring Yulia's protests, I pushed my way to the dance floor, where Eugene was currently lying. He was moaning and looked pale.

"Hey, man, you okay?" I asked. Eugene just made some non-decipherable sounds before throwing up again. I quickly checked the time on my phone. 3:00 a.m. I couldn't believe how late it had gotten. Eugene had likely surpassed his limits, both in alcohol intake and time spent partying. "Okay, let's take you home." Eugene just muttered more nondescript things, clearly in agony. I helped him stand up, taking most of his weight. I tried not to think about the fact that there was a very good chance his vomit was now all over me.

"Where are you going, Alexei?" Yulia asked.

"Taking him home," I grunted, as I started to coax Eugene forward.

"He'll be fine in the morning. Just take him to one of the bedrooms upstairs to sleep it off." There was no way I'd leave him unattended in a house with a party still raging on.

"Alexei, where are you taking Eugene?" Roman asked, coming up to the three of us.

"Back to my place," I replied briskly, pushing past him.

"Come on, man, you can't be leaving already. The night isn't even over yet," Roman argued.

"It's over for Eugene. He needs a quiet place to sleep it off." Suddenly, Yulia lost her balance, toppling over. I quickly shifted mine and Eugene's weight, catching her just before she hit the floor. "Maybe I should take you home too, Yulia."

"I'm okay," Yulia said, although she came dangerously close to falling over again. I merely gave her a concerned look, as I kept pushing them forwards. Somehow, Yulia and Roman managed to keep up the argument all the way to the car.

"You're a total wuss. We party hard here. We'll be a-okay in the morning," Roman rambled, his words extremely slurred.

"Care to prove it?" I asked, guiding Eugene into the back seat and buckling him in. I turned around, awaiting a response from Roman. He opened his mouth to reply but his face suddenly contorted. He leaned over, promptly throwing up on the driveway.

"Okay, that's settled. You're coming back to my place," I said. I grabbed Roman's arm, leading him over to the other side of the car and shoving him in the backseat. Against his protests, I wrestled the car keys from him.

"You might as well come too." I looked over at Yulia. She wordlessly walked to the passenger seat. Once everyone was settled, or as settled as three extremely drunk teenagers could be, I started the car, quickly backing out of the driveway. I drove down the street at a steady pace but only made it a few meters before Roman stuck his head out the window to throw up again. I stepped on the breaks, not wanting to think about what the vomit would do to the car's paint job. Once he was finished, I continued driving, despite his protests about having a pounding headache. He was just going to have to suck it up until we got back to my place.

I pulled back onto the highway, retracing the route we had taken to get here. Surprisingly, the roads were still quite busy, even at this late hour. As I drove, I kept noticing a car that followed me, right down to my lane changes. A quick look in the rearview, where the driver's eyes met mine, told me they were interested in our vehicle, perhaps a little too interested.

Next thing I knew, the suspicious car was speeding towards us, sirens blaring. Shit, was that an undercover police car? What the hell had I even done? Then again, this was Russia, where the police were free to pull people over as they pleased, regardless of whether or not they had broken any laws.

"Yo, what are you doing?! Go faster!" Roman yelled.

"There's a police car behind us and I think they're trying to pull us over," I replied, eyes flickering between the road and the rearview.

"Speed up!" Roman yelled, glancing out the back window with fear. The car was gaining chase, closing the distance between us. It forced me towards the shoulder, where I stopped and put the car into park.

"Come on, man, really?" Roman asked, shaking his head.

"Look, I don't know what they want. Better safe than sorry," I replied, trying to keep myself from freaking out.

"Seriously, you, out of all people, should know not to mess with Russian police," Roman retorted. Of course I knew that. The police in Russia were notorious for being corrupt. If you didn't bribe them or follow their exact orders, then you'd be dead meat.

I looked in the rearview to see the officer getting out of his car. I took a deep breath as I rolled down my window, bracing myself for what was to come.

"_Zdravstvujtye_," the officer said, leaning in towards the open window. He had an evil sneer on his face and I knew he wasn't going to let us go easily, not without messing with us.

"_Zdravstvujtye_," I echoed, forcing myself to keep my voice steady.

"Where are you coming from?" the officer asked, looking at everyone in the car.

"A house party."

"Who was drinking?"

"Just the three of them." I motioned to everyone else in the car.

"Then you must be an extremely coherent drunk or a very good liar," the officer said, looking me right in the eye.

"I don't drink, sir," I replied. He just gave me a disbelieving look and held out his hand.

"Can I see some ID?" I looked around the car, noticing that everyone already had their ID's out. I grabbed them all and took out my Adrian driver's license, handing the stack to the officer. He looked at them all with interest, muttering non-coherent comments under his breath. Then, his eyes fixed on me.

"Huh, the minor is driving," the officer said. I tried not to balk at that statement. I didn't know about Yulia but I knew that Roman was slightly older and Eugene was slightly younger than me, all of us being born in the same year. Either way, there was no way any one of them would be eighteen yet. If they were using fake ID's, I didn't want to know why they had them or how they had procured them in the first place.

"Just taking them home after a party. I don't drink."

"Is that the party over in Nikolino?"

"Yes, sir." I wasn't sure which other party he could be talking about since the rest of the street was pretty quiet.

"Some of my buddies and I were staking out that house. We got reports saying many of them had been at a protest earlier today in support of homosexual people." Going to protests were seriously frowned upon in Russia, even more so if they were in support of LGBTQ rights. Russia's laws against acts promoting or supporting LGBTQ rights were super strict. Even minors could get charged if they were caught.

"I am not aware of such a protest."

"You better not be lying to me, kid." The officer narrowed his eyes at me.

"I am not, sir. I just got in this evening."

"Where from?"

"Adria."

"Can I see your passport?" Wordlessly, I handed my passport to the officer. I was glad my father had drilled it into my head to always carry my passport with me in Russia. It wasn't uncommon for officers to ask to see it.

"Hmm, a black passport," the officer said, flipping through it with interest. "How did you get this?"

"My father is the chief of staff to the Russian ambassador in Adria," I rattled off. I was asked about my passport so often that the answer came out of me automatically.

"How do I know this isn't a fake?" I knew what I had to do now. I grabbed my wallet, pulling out a large wad of cash.

"Chief of staff pays well." I waved the cash in front of the officer's face. He snatched it without hesitation.

"I'll let you get away this time. But I won't be bought off that easily if I run into you again," the officer said, pocketing the cash. He handed us our ID's back.

"Thank you, sir. Have a good night," I replied, staying civil. The officer walked away without another word.

"Geez, that took you long enough," Roman complained from the back, once the officer was back in his car.

"Like I was going to interrupt his questioning," I replied, handing everyone back their ID's. "I'm just glad we got out unscathed."

"That's because you're loaded. Should have given him the cash earlier," Roman said. Everyone in this car was loaded; one of the others could have just offered up the cash right away and we wouldn't have needed to deal with the officer. I just rolled my eyes as I started the car again. The rest of the drive back to the condo was uneventful, aside from Roman's drunken ranting.

I parked on the street, a few metres down from the main entrance, and hauled everyone out. I managed to get everyone into the elevator, although they looked like they were barely able to stand. I hoped none of them would throw up, creating yet another mess I'd have to deal with.

It was dark and quiet when we entered. I wondered if my father was asleep or if he was just holed up in the master bedroom dealing with embassy business. Either way, I hoped he wouldn't mind me bringing over three extremely drunk teenagers to crash for the night. But this was Moscow, where I couldn't possibly get into any trouble with Grace. Hopefully, it'd be fine.

I hauled Roman and Eugene into one of the guest bedrooms. Eugene dropped onto the bed without another word while Roman kept up his drunken commentary. I left him to it, figuring he'd pass out eventually. I grabbed Yulia's hand to lead her into the other guest bedroom.

"Will you be okay here?" I asked.

"Stay with me," she moaned, looking like she was starting to feel the effects of the alcohol.

"I can't." I couldn't imagine what my father would think if he walked in on me and Yulia sharing a bedroom.

"Alexei, please." I took a good look at her, taking in her pained face. It didn't feel right to leave her alone in this state.

"Okay, I'll take you back to my room." When we got to my room, she staggered over to the bathroom, barely making it to the trash can just inside the door. I held her hair back as she threw up. After, she laid down on the bathroom floor, moaning in agony. I wondered just how much she had drank tonight, hoping she hadn't gone past her limits. I grabbed a cup from the bathroom counter, filling it with water.

"Here," I said, giving Yulia the cup. She only took a few sips before throwing up again.

"I can't do this anymore, Alexei," Yulia whispered, looking like she was about to pass out.

"Shh, don't worry. I'm here for you," I said softly. I picked her up, carrying her bridal style to the bed. I gently set her down, taking off her heels before wrapping the blankets around her.

"Don't leave me, Alexei," she whispered, just barely able to keep her eyes open.

"I won't," I replied, smoothing her hair back from her forehead. It wasn't long before she passed out. I grabbed the spare bedding from the closet, making myself comfortable on the floor next to my bed. My back was probably going to be sore in the morning but there was no way I'd leave Yulia alone, not in her current state. Eventually, I passed out too, falling into a deep, dreamless sleep.

* * *

**Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Next chapter will be up on July 1 (give or take a day depending on time zones and what time I decide to post it that day). Feel free to check out my Instagram (smartiegirl800) where I post sneak peeks and can give better estimates of when I'll be posting my chapters. **

**What do you think of Alexei's Moscow friends? I ended up making a bunch of last-minute changes to this chapter before posting it, trying to to make it as authentic as possible (even though I've never been to Moscow before). Next chapter will feature more of Moscow!**


	2. Chapter 2 - But is it Art?

**Hey guys! I hope you've all had a great week. I've finished up with my summer shadowing so now I get a bit of a break. Hoping to get a lot of editing done for On the Run and write a bit more of the first draft of Take the Key and Lock Her Up in Alexei's POV with the remaining two months of my summer. Read on for a chilled day in Moscow and some relationship drama!**

**Gonna reply to reviews on the previous chapter, thanks so much to everyone who reviewed!**

**Guest: Thanks for the support, I hope this chapter finds you well!**

**I also finally got around to replying to any reviews left on Falling for You after it was completed; you can check those out in the author's note at the start of the last chapter of Falling for You. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Embassy Row series and all the characters (except for Tanner and Jordan and Alexei's Moscow friends (Roman, Eugene, Josef, and Yulia), who are my own creations). They belong to Ally Carter. I am merely using her characters and plotline to create this fanfiction. This fanfiction is purely for entertainment purposes and would not exist without Ally Carter's wonderful works. The events that happen in this fanfiction are not meant to be representative of real life. The character's actions may not always reflect my own opinions. Based on what is mentioned in this chapter (spoiler alert), I do not condone underage drinking or drunk driving.**

* * *

Chapter Two: But is it Art?

I woke up the next morning with a pounding headache. I groaned, rolling over. Even though I hadn't drunk any alcohol last night, I had no idea why my head was throbbing. I blamed the loud music at the party. I sat up, looking over at the bed. The blankets were crumpled, like they had been well slept in but Yulia was nowhere to be seen. Had she already gone home? I looked around my room. She hadn't left a note anywhere. I told myself to calm down. Based on what I knew about her, she wasn't as volatile and reckless as Grace and didn't seem like the type to run off without warning. She probably just snuck out to grab food or something. I told myself she would be fine and could take care of herself.

I got up, stretching out all the kinks in my back from sleeping on my bedroom floor. I headed over to my closet, grabbing another button down and a clean pair of jeans. I popped into the bathroom for a quick shower, which helped me feel more refreshed.

After making my bed and throwing the spare bedding in the hamper, I headed towards the kitchen to grab some food. I heard food sizzling and the coffee maker running, wondering if my father was making food. As I turned the corner into the kitchen, I saw grocery bags on the counters. There must have been a food delivery earlier this morning. My father had likely ordered all this food online last night because I doubted he would have had time to head to the grocery store. However, as I stepped further into the kitchen, I discovered it wasn't my father making food.

"Hey, Alexei," Yulia said, a small smile on her face. "Did you sleep okay?"

"Had better, had worse," I mumbled, stifling a yawn. I rummaged around in one of the cabinets for some Advil for my pounding head. I found an unopened bottle, downing a couple pills with a glass of water.

"You need some?" I asked, holding the bottle up.

"I might take some in a bit. I'm sure Roman and Eugene will be needing some though," Yulia replied, with a small smirk. She kept her attention on the frying pan in front of her. "I'm making fried eggs and kielbasa sausage and I've got a pot of coffee going. I was going to make some toast once I'm done with the sausage."

"Let me help you with that. You shouldn't have to do all the work." I immediately jumped in to help. I opened a fresh loaf of bread, popping a few slices in the toaster. I set the plates out on the counter for Yulia then started setting the table.

"I don't mind. It's the least I can do after you let me stay over."

"You should take care of yourself first. Don't you have a pounding headache?"

"It's nothing. I'll be fine by tonight." The look on her face begged to differ but I wasn't going to push it any further. We worked side-by-side in a comfortable silence, her frying eggs and sausages and me toasting and buttering bread. When she wasn't looking in my direction, I took a peek at her. Now that she wasn't in heels, I saw just how short she was, the top of her head barely reaching my shoulders. She was wearing one of my shirts, which went down to her knees. Her hair was wet, hanging down her back in long strands and if I wasn't mistaken, she smelled like my body wash.

"See something you like?" Yulia asked, with a flirty grin. Damn it, she had caught me staring at her.

"That's my shirt," I commented. She gave me an apologetic shrug.

"I hope you don't mind. When I woke up, you were still fast asleep and I didn't want to wake you. So I used your bathroom for a shower."

"That's fine," I said, buttering the last of the toast. Yulia started plating the eggs and the sausages. I poured the coffee into mugs. I heard heavy footsteps walking into the kitchen.

"Morning, guys," I said, a cheeky grin on my face.

"Screw you too," Roman said, with a moan, as he sat down at the table, plonking his head on his arms. He looked very hungover and must have outdone himself last night.

"I've got coffee, Advil, and food," I said, setting two mugs of coffee and the bottle of Advil on the table. I returned a few moments later with a couple plates of food. Eugene immediately started digging in while Roman just kept moaning about how much his head was pounding. I grabbed a plate of food and a mug of coffee for myself, sitting down next to Roman. I was about to dig in when pointed footsteps, followed by someone clearing their throat, got my attention.

"What's going on here?" my father asked, his voice clipped. I was about to reply when Yulia's sweet voice sounded throughout the kitchen.

"Good morning, Mr. Volkov. Would you like a cup of coffee or some food?" Yulia asked, a pleasant smile on her face. If she was feeling the effects of her hangover, she wasn't showing it. My father was visibly surprised, as he took in Yulia's appearance. He looked between me and her, raising an eyebrow at me. I just kept my face neutral, not giving anything away.

"I'll take a cup of coffee. I've already eaten, thank you," my father replied.

"For sure. How do you take your coffee?"

"Black is fine." Yulia grabbed a clean mug, filling it with coffee and handing it to my father.

"Thank you," my father said, taking the mug. He took a sip, giving an approving nod. He walked out of the kitchen, coffee in hand, without another word.

"Did you guys do something last night?" Eugene asked, looking between me and Yulia. Roman looked up, suddenly seeming very interested.

"Nothing happened between us," I replied. "I took her to my room and let her sleep on the bed while I slept on the floor."

"So you had an opportunity to do something but didn't," Roman said, looking visibly disappointed.

"Yulia was beyond drunk," I said, looking over at her. "No way was I going to try anything."

"Your loss," Eugene said, turning his attention back to his food.

"So is there anything going on between you two?" Roman asked. Yulia and I looked at each other, shrugging.

"No, there isn't," I said firmly. Yulia nodded in agreement. Sure, we had made out last night but she was drunk. I doubted she remembered that. Besides, one make-out session didn't automatically mean that something was going on between us. Nonetheless, it probably didn't help settle the suspicions as Yulia sat down next to me to eat her breakfast.

We kept up a steady conversation as we ate. We looked through all the Snaps and Instagram posts from last night, reliving the events of the party. There was a lot of crazy stuff that had happened last night, things that never would have happened in Adria at one of Lila's parties. However, it seemed to be the norm here as Yulia, Roman, and Eugene nonchalantly scrolled through their phones.

"You guys heading home?" I asked, once Eugene polished off the last of the food. Apparently, he got really hungry when he was hungover.

"Probably. My head is absolutely killing me," Roman moaned.

"Are you in any state to drive?" I gave him a mildly concerned look.

"Eh, I'll be fine." Roman shrugged, like he had done this before. Once again, it astounded me just how different the cultures were in Moscow and Valancia. "Where's my car?"

"I've parked it on the street outside the condo. Are you sure you can drive?"

"Geez, this isn't prissy little Adria," Roman said, rolling his eyes. "We live on the wild side here, in case you haven't noticed."

"No kidding," I muttered.

"Hey, at least he's not driving drunk," Yulia pointed out.

"Certainly hasn't stopped you from trying," Eugene said, as he and Roman side-eyed each other. Geez, my Moscow friends were insane. None of the embassy kids would even think of doing that, not unless they wanted to face extremely dire consequences.

"Well, in any case, let me know when you get home," I said, standing up to clear the dishes off the table.

"Okay, Mom," Roman replied sarcastically. I glared at him. "What? Living in Adria has made you all soft, even more than my own mother." I gave him the finger. If I was closer and wasn't holding a stack of dishes, I definitely would have punched him.

"Hey, be glad that he cares," Yulia said, coming to my defense.

"Unlike your own mother," Eugene said, firing shots at Roman. He just rolled his eyes and collected his things.

"I'll text you later," Roman said.

"Cool. See you guys," I replied. Roman and Eugene waved then headed over to the elevator. Yulia and I finished clearing the table, placing the stack of dirty dishes by the sink. She immediately started running a sinkful of soapy water.

"You don't have to wash the dishes by hand. Let the dishwasher take care of it," I said, placing my hand on her arm.

"I don't mind. It's the least I can do after you took care of me last night and brought me here," Yulia said, echoing her previous words. Did she remember what happened last night, when I held her hair back while she threw up? Or when I promised not to leave her and let her sleep in my bed?

"I might not remember a lot of my drunken adventures but I'll never forget what you did for me last night," Yulia continued, answering my unspoken questions. "It's hard to find people who will take care of you when you get drunk because everyone else also wants to get wasted. I can't tell you how many times I've passed out drunk at a party, only to wake up on the floor at a random house, covered in vomit. It's not fun, making the journey home in party clothes that reek of God knows what."

"I'm sorry you had to go through that." I didn't know what else I could say that would make her feel better.

"Don't be. It's the norm around here. You get used to it." Yulia casually shrugged like it was no big deal, although the look in her eyes begged to differ. How many times she had gotten hurt or left alone at a party? Although she seemed pretty chill on the surface, I wondered how much emotional pain she was hiding underneath.

"I hope last night was okay."

"Of course it was. I've never had anyone care for me like that after a party. I really appreciated it. I can't tell you how nice it was to wake up in a bed and not covered in vomit, for once. So thank you for that." Yulia looked up at me with grateful eyes.

"Hey, it was the least I could do," I said, echoing her previous words. All she gave me was an unreadable look. We settled into a comfortable silence as we worked through the stack of dirty dishes, her washing and me drying. When we were almost done with the pile of dishes, I heard footsteps. I turned to find my father with his empty coffee mug.

"Mr. Volkov, I can take that for you," Yulia said, with a warm smile.

"Thank you, that'd be much appreciated," my father said, handing Yulia his dirty mug. She immediately dunked it into the soapy water, carefully washing it. As my father passed by me, to return to his office, he gave me another approving nod. I just stared back in disbelief.

"You have any plans for the rest of the day?" Yulia asked, as we worked through the last of the dishes.

"Not really. Probably just going to chill out here. You?" I replied.

"I was also just going to head home. Unless you wanted to do something together?" Although her tone of voice was casual, I could have sworn there was a hopeful look in her eyes.

"You don't have a change of clothes and I don't think you can get away with wearing that in public." I glanced down at my shirt that she was wearing.

"It's alright. I'm used to wearing my soiled party clothes the day after. Or I could just borrow something of yours." She gave me a flirty wink.

"Well, considering you took my shirt without asking, I don't think you have any issues with that." She just gave me a look, like she knew she had won.

"So where do you want to go? A park? A museum? A movie?" Yulia asked, draining the dirty water from the sink.

"Doesn't matter to me. Anything sounds better than staying here." As much as I would have loved a chill day to myself, maybe hanging out with Yulia wouldn't be so bad. Now that she was sober and it was just the two of us, it would be more low-key. That I could do.

"Are you interested in art? The Moscow Museum of Modern Art has a couple new collections that I'd love to check out," Yulia said, turning to face me.

"Sure, that sounds good." Although I wasn't really interested in art, going to an art gallery would be more invigorating than staying here, where I could feel my father's presence.

"Do you have a Metro card? We can take the Metro from here to the museum."

"I think it's in my wallet. Let me double check."

"Okay. Give me a few moments to freshen up." Yulia headed off towards my bathroom. I headed back to my bedroom. Sure enough, my Metro card was in my wallet. After checking online, I discovered my card still had quite a bit of money leftover from the last time I was in Moscow. Awesome.

A few moments later, Yulia walked into my bedroom. She was still wearing my shirt, although she had tied the bottom half of it into a knot. She paired that with her short skirt and ridiculously high heels from last night, creating a cool, casual look. She had pulled her long hair into a messy bun on top of her head. She had also put on a bit of makeup, just a touch of mascara and lipstick.

"You had makeup?" I asked, bewildered, wondering where she had gotten it from.

"I always keep a bit in my handbag," Yulia said, with a coy smile. "You ready?"

"Ready when you are." We headed towards the elevator then walked over to the nearest Metro station. I kept offering her my arm, in case she needed something to hold on to. I didn't want her falling over in those heels but she kept insisting she was fine. As it turned out, she was able to walk just fine in those heels when she was sober. We kept up a steady stream of conversation as we took the Metro over to the Moscow Museum of Modern Art. She told me about school and what everyone had been up to since I was last here.

"Where do you want to go first?" Yulia asked, as we walked into the gallery.

"Wherever you want. You had collections you wanted to see; I'm just here to hang out," I replied. Yulia nodded, grabbing my hand as she led me over to a collection of non-conformist Russian art from the late 1900's, the museum's trademark collection. As it turned out, she knew a lot about art and told me a bit about each painting, adding in her own interpretations. I didn't quite understand how it was possible to infer such things from art but I enjoyed watching her talk, seeing the way her eyes lit up as we looked at each art piece. It was clear that she was truly passionate about art.

After, we moved onto a collection of well-known works from Western artists followed by a sculpture exhibit. Again, it astounded me just how much she knew about art and art history. Watching her talk about art was almost as exciting as watching Grace talk about the Scarred Man and everything she had been doing in attempt to indict him. For a second, I wondered what it would be like to visit an art gallery or a museum with Grace. To have her tell me something about each object that we looked at. To hold her hand and let her guide me through the halls. I would greatly enjoy that, although I wasn't sure if it would ever happen. Mainly because of her grandfather and my father but also because Grace didn't seem like the kind of person who would enjoy museums. If we were to hang out together, she'd probably take me on a hike or a daredevil activity, like rock climbing or sky diving. Something active and wild, just like she was.

"You getting bored yet?" Yulia asked, as we walked out of the sculpture exhibit.

"Actually, no. It's quite fascinating watching you talk about art," I said, with a smile. "You sure know a lot about it."

"Art is my passion. I love all kinds of art and the way it allows you to express yourself. There's no limit to your creativity when it comes to art."

"Would you consider an artistic career?"

"For sure. I'd love to be an art history professor."

"I think that'd suit you very well." Based on the way she had explained everything to me and the joy evident in her eyes as she did so, she would make an excellent art professor.

"What about you? What kind of career are you considering?"

"I'd love to do scientific research. I might consider getting my PhD, although I'd want to use it for research, not teaching."

"Are you going to discover a cure for cancer?" Yulia asked playfully.

"I doubt it. That stuff is complex."

"I can definitely imagine you working in a lab."

"It's actually kind of funny. Earlier this summer, I applied for a job at the research lab in Valancia's hospital but I got a callback for an interview right when I boarded my plane to Moscow."

"Oh no, that's awful! Did you really want that job?"

"It would have been nice if I did get it. I would love to get a head start in the research field, even if I'm only making small contributions or doing menial tasks like counting bacteria or washing test tubes."

"Hey, every little bit helps, right? I really hope it works out for you."

"Me too." It was hard to keep that hint of longing out of my voice and I was sure Yulia had picked up on it too.

"You want to head in there?" Yulia asked, looking over at an exhibit of Russian avant-garde art.

"Doesn't matter to me. I'm down for whatever," I replied. Yulia steered me over to the exhibit, which was surprisingly empty. We more or less had the whole place to ourselves.

"Wow, this is nice," I commented after we looked at a few works. They were mathematical reinterpretations of Russian avant-garde art, with lots of bold lines and shapes. Although it was hard to make sense of the art, I was drawn to the mathematical aspect of each piece.

"The artwork or the empty exhibit?" Yulia asked, raising an eyebrow at me.

"Both," I replied, with a laugh. "It's even better that I've had such a fantastic tour guide this afternoon."

"Why, thank you," Yulia said. She looked up at me as she brushed her thumb against the back of my hand. There was no denying the spark that I felt. Yulia must have felt it too because she went up onto her tiptoes to kiss me. I only let my lips brush hers for a second before I pushed her away, more gently than I had last night.

"I'm sorry, Yulia, I can't," I said, feeling bad. Here was a perfectly nice girl, one that my father would likely approve of, and yet my mind was still fixated on Grace, the one girl I couldn't have. Why couldn't I have feelings for Yulia instead of Grace? It would make my life much easier.

"Why not?" Yulia asked. Although her tone was still casual, I could see the hurt in her eyes.

"Come here," I said, leading her over to a nearby bench. We sat down, facing each other.

"Don't get me wrong, you're a great girl," I started. "You're nice, chill, and fun to be around. But there are a lot of things that will complicate a relationship between us."

"Like what?" Yulia asked, looking up at me with big eyes.

"The fact that I'm in Valancia most of the time and you're in Moscow, for one."

"We could do long distance."

"That's true but it would be difficult. Time differences, no physical contact. I wouldn't want you to get hung up over me when there are plenty of great guys here. I would be willing to give it a shot but there's a lot to think about and I don't want you to get your hopes up."

"What about something casual while you're in Moscow? No strings attached, just something fun for the summer. I'd say there's no harm in that, knowing that we'll have to break it off once school starts since it'll be difficult with both of us being in different countries."

"We could. I wouldn't want to rush into something just for the sake of it and end up letting you down. But we could think about it and try, if it feels right."

"Okay, that sounds reasonable," Yulia said. She looked hurt, which made me feel like a massive asshole. But I didn't want to start something with her and lead her on, not when I still had feelings for Grace. That would be even more of an asshole move. Besides, I'd just be lying to myself and denying my feelings for Grace, which hadn't worked well earlier this summer.

We continued walking through the mathematical avant-garde exhibit, Yulia providing her own interpretation of each work. It was almost back to how it was earlier this afternoon, except for everything that now remained unspoken between us. We were laying that to rest for now. There was no way I'd bring it up again, at least not anytime soon.

"That was fun," Yulia said, as we walked back towards the main entrance of the museum.

"All thanks to you," I replied, playfully poking her. "Do you come here often?"

"Admittedly, I do." She started blushing, her cheeks turning red. It was kind of cute to see her all flustered. "I often come here alone to admire all the art. It's more fun to come with someone though, so I can explain everything to them."

"I'm glad I could keep you company today." I gave her a soft smile, which she returned.

"Can I stop at your place before heading home? I left a few of my things there."

"Sure." We took the Metro back to the condo. She headed straight to my bedroom, grabbing the top she had worn to the party last night, as well as a few other items.

"I'm all good now," Yulia said, walking back to the foyer of the condo. "Thanks again for hanging out today, Alexei."

"It was my pleasure. I enjoyed it too," I replied, smiling at her.

"We should do it again sometime, while you're still here in Moscow," she said. I warily nodded, afraid she'd bring everything up again. However, my worries were alleviated when recognition suddenly flashed in her eyes, like she suddenly remembered something.

"Oh, I completely forgot to tell you earlier!" she exclaimed. "You know the music festival that happens in Dubrovnia every year?"

"Dubrovnia Summerfest, with all the biggest artists in each genre?" Dubrovnia Summerfest was the biggest summer music festival in Europe. It was a week-long series of shows, with each day dedicated to one or two different fundamental genres of music: pop, EDM, hip-hop and rap, country and blues, rock and metal, classical and jazz, and indie and folk. I only knew about it because attending the festival was one of Jordan's bucket list items. He wanted to see the biggest and best rock bands and hip-hop artists all in one place.

"That's the one! So Josef's father scored a ton of tickets for the rock/ metal and EDM days of the festival. This is really last minute but we're leaving tomorrow and have a couple extra tickets. I was wondering if you'd like to come?" I was not a fan of rock music but I would definitely enjoy seeing all my favourite EDM artists in one place. That would be the concert of a lifetime.

"Who else is coming?"

"A bunch of us from school. Me, Roman, Eugene, and Josef are all going. It'll be fun."

"I'll think about it and check with my father. The EDM day sounds awesome."

"Sounds good. Get back to me as soon as you can. We've got rides arranged and hotels booked. All you gotta do is pack a bag and show up at Josef's place tomorrow morning."

"If I can come, I'll let you know tonight."

"For sure. Just text me! Do you have my number?" I shook my head, handing her my phone. She entered in her contact info before handing my phone back to me.

"Alright, there you go. Have a great rest of your day." She quickly hugged me, before taking the elevator down to the lobby. I turned around to head back to my room, but not before running right into my father.

"You had people over last night," my father commented. As usual, his face was neutral, his eyes blank, giving away nothing.

"Roman invited me to a party last night. Roman and Eugene got too drunk so I drove them back here," I replied.

"Who was hosting the party?"

"Josef."

"His father is that media personnel, no?" It was hard to miss the disdain in my father's voice. I knew he didn't like Josef's father.

"Yes, he is."

"You also brought a girl over last night?" My father was really eyeing me now.

"Yes, I did."

"What is her name?"

"Yulia."

"Was she the girl who was here a few moments ago?" My father's line of questioning sounded like he didn't know anything but I knew that he was testing me.

"Yes."

"What were you doing with her?"

"We had been hanging out at the party but she also got quite drunk so I drove her here too. Then, after breakfast, we went to the Moscow Museum of Modern Art. She came back to pick up a few things she left here last night." My father nodded in understanding, putting the pieces together.

"That girl brews a good pot of coffee. She also seems like a good cook, based on the smell of the food she was making. She'd make an excellent housewife and she's pretty good-looking." Of course my father had to make sexist remarks about her, confirming my suspicions about him approving of Yulia. I wondered what he would think if he knew she wanted to go into academia.

"You should invite her over more often," my father commented, a definite sign that he approved of her.

"She invited me to a music festival that's happening in Dubrovnia tomorrow. A bunch of other people she knows will be there too," I said, feeling like I was pushing my boundaries.

"Go ahead," my father said, with a nod. "I have another meeting to attend to but we can discuss the details of the music festival once that's finished." With that, he walked back to his office. I was so surprised at how easily he gave me permission to attend Dubrovnia Summerfest. Maybe it was because Yulia had extended the invitation and he really liked her. Or maybe it was because we were in Moscow, thousands of kilometres away from Grace, where I couldn't get up to any funny business with her. Either way, if this had happened in Adria, there was no way my father would have let me leave the country on my own for a few days. Not as easily as he just had. Clearly, things were much different here in Moscow than in Valancia, a fact that I found mildly unsettling.

* * *

**Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! The Moscow Museum of Modern Art is a real place and the exhibits/ collections in this chapter are based on real exhibits and collections in the museum (at the time this chapter was written); thus, I don't own any of it. **

**Next chapter will be up on July 9, which will include the trip to Dubrovnia and some more relationship drama. What do you think will happen in Dubrovnia? **


	3. Chapter 3 - Holiday

**Hey guys, hope you all had a great week! This is a bit of a filler chapter, to set the scene for the music festival. Read on for more relationship drama! **

**Gonna reply to reviews on the previous chapter, thanks so much to everyone who reviewed!**

**Lililithia: I'm glad you're enjoying this story!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Embassy Row series and all the characters (except for Alexei's Moscow friends (Roman, Eugene, Josef, and Yulia), who are my own creations). They belong to Ally Carter. I am merely using her characters and plotline to create this fanfiction. This fanfiction is purely for entertainment purposes and would not exist without Ally Carter's wonderful works. The events that happen in this fanfiction are not meant to be representative of real life. The character's actions may not always reflect my own opinions. Based on what happens in this chapter (spoiler alert), I do not condone underage drinking.**

* * *

Chapter Three: Holiday

"Holiday! Holiday! Holiday!" Roman shouted, as he burst through the front door at Josef's house, beer in hand. I couldn't help but roll my eyes at him. It wasn't even noon and he was already drinking. Just another reminder of how different life was in Moscow compared to Valancia.

"Aren't you excited, Alexei?" Roman asked. I shrugged my shoulders. Sure, it was pretty awesome to be heading off to another country for a few days with my friends and to go to one of the world's hottest music festivals. I just didn't feel the need to showcase my excitement to the world, unlike Roman.

"Whatever," Roman commented, taking a swig of his beer. Just then, Yulia walked out of the house, travel itinerary in hand. As it turned out, she was the one organizing this whole trip and suggested that we meet up at Josef's before heading off. Thus, Josef's house was packed with everyone who was headed to Dubrovnia Summerfest, myself included. We were here to sort out rides and hotel rooms before the long drive to Dubrovnia.

"Alexei, how are you holding up?" Yulia asked me. Even though we were going to be in a car all day, she still looked stunning, with perfect hair and makeup and a stylish outfit, consisting of a blouse tucked into high-waisted shorts and Converse.

"Had better, had worse," I said, with a shrug. I was all ready to go, with my duffle bag and backpack. Everyone else seemed to be taking their sweet time, goofing off in the house.

"That makes two of us," Yulia said, with a laugh. "Trying to round up everyone is turning out to be a nightmare."

"I can imagine." Through the propped open front door, I could hear Roman yelling about God knows what. It wouldn't surprise me if he was on another drunken rant. I checked the time on my phone. At this rate, we wouldn't make it to Dubrovnia until tomorrow morning.

"Since you seem to be the most responsible one here, would you mind holding onto the concert tickets?" Yulia gave me a coy look, as she held out a thick envelope. I eyed it curiously.

"Who's to say I'm the responsible one?" I raised an eyebrow, giving her a mischievous smile.

"You very well might not be," Yulia replied, returning my smile. "But I trust you the most." She handed me the envelope, her fingers brushing mine. I felt a spark, but nothing compared to what I felt with Grace. It once again reminded me how easy it would be to date Yulia and how I wouldn't have to jump through any hoops to make it happen. But of course, that was the one thing I didn't want. I cursed my brain for being stubborn and wanting the difficult thing over the easy one.

"If you say so," I said. I took the envelope from her, placing it in my laptop case, where the tickets were least likely to get crumpled.

"Thanks, Alexei." Yulia gave me a warm smile before heading back into the house.

It took another hour for everyone to finally settle down and get our rides finalized. Yulia, Roman, Eugene, and I were taking Roman's car. Unsurprisingly, I was driving, given the way Roman ceremoniously handed me his car keys. We loaded our luggage into the trunk, along with a few coolers of road trip snacks and some cases of beer. I got into the driver's seat and started the car, surprised to find Yulia sitting shotgun. I wondered why Roman and Eugene hadn't put up more of a fight, unless they did that on purpose, to see if there was something going on between Yulia and I. I wouldn't have been surprised.

"Alright, captain," Yulia said, giving me a playful look. "Let's get this show on the road." She pulled up Google Maps on her phone, clicking on pre-saved directions to our hotel in Dubrovnia. I felt a lot better, knowing that she would be navigating. Although Roman did a pretty good job of getting us to Josef's house the other night, I wouldn't count on it now, since he looked slightly drunk and still seemed to be going strong.

The drive to Dubronvia turned out to be relatively uneventful, aside from Roman's drunken ranting. Although getting out of Moscow was a bit of a struggle, it was smooth sailing once we were on the highway. Yulia provided excellent directions and we kept up a good conversation.

We reached our hotel by early evening. I was mildly surprised as we walked into the exquisite lobby of the hotel. I hadn't realized we were staying somewhere so nice.

"Don't worry about it," Yulia said, lightly touching my arm as she came up beside me. "It's all covered by Josef." She handed me a few pages from her travel itinerary, detailing the hotel reservations. It turned out the rooms had all been booked and paid for in advance. All we needed was a piece of ID on arrival and we were good to go. It was two to a room but since I was a last-minute addition, I would be sharing a room with Roman and Eugene.

Despite that, the room was more than spacious enough for the three of us, with two king-sized beds and a sofa bed. Roman immediately plopped down on the bed closest to the window, claiming it as his own. I claimed the sofa bed as mine, knowing that Roman and Eugene would probably want the beds if they got blackout drunk at the music festival. I immediately started unpacking my stuff, hoping Roman and Eugene would take the subtle hint. Unfortunately, that didn't seem to work as an hour later, they were still sprawled out on their beds, scrolling through their phones.

"Yo, a bunch of us are meeting at the hot tub in a few," Roman said. He lifted his head slightly, to look at me. "You coming, Alexei?"

"Nah, I'm good, thanks," I replied. I was pretty exhausted from driving all day. After they left for the hot tub, I was hoping to get a few hours of sleep before they came back late in the night.

"I swear to God, you've turned into a grandpa since the last time we saw you," Roman commented, rolling over onto his stomach. "You literally don't want to do _anything_."

"Well, someone has to be the responsible one and I don't see you taking that role." I shot him a pointed look.

"You can still be responsible and have fun," Roman said, Eugene nodding in agreement. "Come on, man, you're still in high school. Enjoy your youth before you're actually grey and wrinkly."

"Well, at least I'd have an intact liver by the time we reach that point," I retorted, causing Eugene to burst out laughing.

"That's what liver transplants are for," Roman said, rolling off the bed. "I'm heading down to the hot tub whether you're coming or not." He grabbed his swim trunks then headed into the bathroom to get changed. I sighed, feeling like I didn't have a choice. It was a good thing I had packed my swim trunks.

A few minutes later, the three of us headed down to the hot tub. I wondered how I got roped into things again. It was probably just the start though. More stupid shit was bound to happen the longer I hung around my Moscow friends. I could only hope that things wouldn't end badly or that I wouldn't slip up and make a dangerous mistake.

The hot tub wasn't very crowded when we got there. I nodded at some of the guys, vaguely remembering them from the party a couple nights ago. Yulia was there with a couple of other girls. She smiled at me, waving me over. I climbed into the hot tub, sitting down next to her.

"Hey Alexei," Yulia said. "Did you settle in okay?" I nodded. She introduced me to the girls, who were her friends from school. The four of us chatted for a bit, mostly about my life in Adria.

Maybe it wasn't such a bad idea to come down to the hot tub. Everyone was just chilling and chatting, which was my kind of thing. Some of the guys were nursing beers but no one was heavily drinking. That was, until Roman hopped out of the hot tub, returning a few moments later with a large stack of red, plastic cups and a Ping-Pong ball.

"Yo, who's up for a game of beer pong?" he shouted, waving the Ping-Pong ball around. I internally facepalmed. Hadn't he drunk enough this morning? Looks like I had spoken way too soon.

He set the cups down on a table and started filling them with various types of alcohol. I didn't even want to know what concoctions some of those cups contained.

"Who's playing?" Roman asked, turning to look at everyone. Before everyone started dividing into teams, Josef spoke up.

"Stay where you are, we're taking this game to the next level." He hopped out of the hot tub, running back into the hotel. He came back a few moments later, with a small, folded-up bundle. I was really confused as he shook it out and started blowing it up. However, Roman seemed to know exactly what it was.

"Yo, is that your inflatable beer pong raft?" Roman asked, looking at it wide-eyed.

"Hell yeah. Someone else come blow this sucker up before I collapse from lack of oxygen," Josef said, holding up the slightly inflated raft. Eugene hopped out of the hot tub, taking a turn at blowing up the raft.

"Pretty crazy, huh?" Yulia asked.

"I'll say," I muttered. I could only imagine how much crazier that beer pong game would get with that inflatable raft.

"Are you going to play?"

"No way. That's not my kind of thing. You?"

"Normally, I would. But I'm sitting out tonight. Don't want to get too crazy before the festival tomorrow."

"Certainly doesn't seem to be stopping them," I muttered, looking over the group of guys who were taking turns blowing up the raft. I was glad Yulia had some sensibility when it came to drinking, unlike them.

"Oh please, they'll take any opportunity they can to get drunk," Yulia said, with a laugh.

Roman then instructed everyone who wasn't playing to sit up on the ledge of the hot tub. He and Josef then carefully carried the inflated and loaded raft into the hot tub. The game itself was kind of entertaining to watch, especially as they got progressively more drunk. Roman absolutely sucked and had to keep drinking, whereas Eugene was surprisingly good, only having to drink a couple times.

I was secretly relieved when the game finished. Hopefully now that the guys had had their fun, they would call it a night. Unfortunately, that seemed to be far from the case, as Roman then cannon-balled into the deep end of the pool, sending a huge wave of water into the air.

"Holy shit, that's cold!" Roman yelled, when he surfaced, shaking the water from his hair. Most of the other guys joined him in the pool, while a few of them headed back up to their rooms. Yulia's friends also headed up, leaving the hot tub empty except for the two of us.

"Remind me why I agreed to come," I commented, letting out a sigh.

"To the hot tub or on this trip?" Yulia asked, raising an eyebrow at me.

"Honestly both." I winced at the screams coming from the pool, where some of the guys were now playing a drunken game of chicken fight. I really hoped it wouldn't get out of hand. The last thing I needed was to take someone to the emergency room in a foreign country.

"Don't worry about them, they'll be fine," Yulia said, following my gaze then looking back to me.

"Someone's got to be the responsible one here," I muttered, my gaze flicking over to the pool again. I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned to find Yulia sliding closer to me.

"It'll be okay, Alexei. They can take care of themselves." She squeezed my hand, as a sign of reassurance. We sat in silence for a few moments, the steady hum of the hot tub jets punctuated by screams coming from the pool.

"Are you always like this?" Yulia asked, breaking the silence.

"Always like what?" I looked down at her, curious.

"You know, responsible, tightly strung, self-sacrificing. You've got a worry crease on your forehead." I frowned at her, which only made her laugh. "See? Relax. You need to have fun too. You're still young. You don't need to worry and weigh yourself down with all these burdens. You've got plenty of time for that down the road."

"I don't want anyone getting hurt." I was used to looking after everyone in Adria. Naturally, I felt compelled to do the same here. It almost seemed worse here because no one seemed to appreciate it.

"It's different in Adria, isn't it?" Yulia gave me a questioning look. I stayed silent, not sure what she meant. "You know, with all the diplomats? Seems like you always have to be on guard there."

"Of course. Reputation is everything in Adria. It's at the centre of the world's affairs. Everyone is watching and everything you do matters. One wrong move and that's it. You're done. How can I not be on guard when so much is at stake there?"

"This isn't Adria. No one's watching. No one's going to care if you have a drink or get a little crazy. It's just what we do here."

"What if I care? No matter where I am in the world, I will always be an embassy kid. Anything I do can and will stay with me forever. If any of it gets back to Adria, it will tarnish not only my reputation, but that of the embassy's. I can't let myself get out of control, not with so much at stake."

"You can still have fun, without losing control of yourself. It's just us right now. No one is watching. No one needs to know anything." I wasn't sure what came over me at that moment but I suddenly felt a need to be with Yulia. I pulled her onto me, my lips crashing onto hers. She was surprised at first but quickly reacted, her lips meeting mine with equal intensity. I gently bit her lower lip, wanting more. It didn't take long for our tongues to meet, as she started moving against me.

We quickly got lost in the moment, wrapped up in each other. My hands were tangled in her hair, hers exploring my bare chest. This was different from the party a couple nights ago. While that was more cautious, this was raw, animalistic, passionate. We kept going as all rational thought escaped my mind, a deep primal need coursing through my veins. My hand eventually moved from her hair to her bikini strap. I started playing with it, until a seed of conscious, rational thought reared up, reminding where I was and what I was doing. Just as quickly as it had started, I pushed myself away from Yulia. She looked at me, very surprised.

"I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me, I shouldn't have done that." I mumbled, hanging my head down in shame.

"Do you like me or not?" Yulia asked, although it sounded more like a demand. She climbed off my lap, settling down next to me.

"I –" I looked at Yulia. Her face was blank but her eyes made everything clear. She was hurt and she wanted answers. I didn't even know what to say so I stayed silent.

"So you're willing to make out with me but then you apologize for it and won't commit to a casual summer thing." I looked at her again. Her face and eyes were completely neutral as she looked at me steadily. She didn't look like she wanted an explanation but with the way she left that statement out so bluntly, I felt like I owed her something.

"To be fair, my previous summer fling didn't go all that well."

"When was that?"

"Last summer." She gave me a curious look that was far from judgemental. It only compelled me to keep talking. "I agreed to it, thinking why the hell not. It was summer and it would have been fun to have a casual relationship. It was great for the first few days. Then it quickly became apparent that it wasn't going to work. I broke it off a couple weeks in, before it could get too serious."

"I'm sorry to hear that. How come it didn't work out?"

"She was much more into me than I was into her. I didn't want to keep leading her on, knowing I'd only let her down in the end."

"I see. That must have been a difficult decision to make."

"It was. But I had to do it. We had a good friendship before our summer fling and I didn't want to ruin that, just like I don't want to ruin this."

"I understand where you're coming from. We can keep it fun and light-hearted, just like we have over the past couple days. There's no point in making it serious if you're heading back to Adria at the end of the summer." She had a point. There wasn't much harm in having something light and fun for the summer. Maybe that was what I needed, in order to forget about everything that was waiting for me in Adria.

"I don't want this to be a repeat of last summer." Although Yulia had made her expectations clear, I didn't want to hurt her the way I had hurt Lila, especially if she changed her mind and decided that she wanted something more serious.

"So you're trying to say you're not into me." I didn't miss the look she gave me, a mix between disappointment and hurt. Damn, this was getting more complicated by the second. Why did relationships have to be so painful to navigate?

"To be fair, I have stronger feelings for you than I did for that other girl, last summer. I would be willing to give it a shot but I'm still unsure how I feel about this, especially with all the complicating factors."

"Like I said, it doesn't have to be serious. I know that things will end when you return to Adria. I've already accepted that. I'm not expecting much from this, just something fun and casual. I hope you feel the same way." I looked down at her, taking her in. I wasn't sure if I could imagine a future with her, not with all the uncertainties and complications. But a short-term fling with no strings attached? Perhaps that was doable.

"I wasn't looking for a relationship when I got to Moscow. But now, you're here. I've enjoyed the time we spent together over the past couple days. A casual summer fling would be fun. But I don't want to hurt you or let you down."

"You won't. I've already made my expectations clear and know what I'm getting out of this. It will be fine as long as we both understand what the other expects and what will happen at the end of the summer."

"I understand." The end of the summer deadline already sounded like a ticking time bomb for disaster. If things started getting more serious between us, then it'd only be worse once I had to go back to Adria. I didn't want to make things any harder than they had to be for both of us.

"You're worrying about this, aren't you?"

"There's a lot at stake between us for me to not worry."

"You don't always have to worry." Yulia gave me a smoldering look. She glanced up at the sky, where the setting sun was casting breathtaking colours as far as the eye could see. "Look at how beautiful the sky is. Look at how crazy it is that we've got this whole hot tub to ourselves and that we're going to have an amazing time at the music festival tomorrow. We're still young and we've got the whole night, not to mention the rest of our lives, ahead of us. Why don't we enjoy the moment while we can?" That was all the incentive I needed to kiss her. It was a sweeter kiss this time, not fuelled by any intense needs.

"See, that wasn't so bad, was it?" Yulia asked, her hand finding mine under the water. I reluctantly took her hand in mine, feeling like I was betraying Grace by having this thing with Yulia. But maybe this was what I needed, to forget about my feelings for Grace and how I could never have a normal relationship with her. Not like I could with Yulia. I didn't know if having this thing with Yulia could completely dampen my feelings for Grace. At the very least, it might ease some of the pain of not being able to be with Grace. But would I rather live with that pain instead of having less pain and a half-assed thing with Yulia? I suddenly wasn't so sure anymore.

* * *

**Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Next chapter will be up between July 23 to July 25. Dubrovnia Summerfest will be in the next chapter (it'll be a long one!); what do you think will happen? **


	4. Chapter 4 - Rock On

**Hey guys! I hope you've had a great couple of weeks. If you've been keeping up with my Instagram, then you'll know that I've been on holiday for the last couple of weeks (and posted some pics with serious Embassy Row vibes), which explains the delay in this chapter. Now, I'm back with a long chapter. Read on for some wild music festival adventures! **

**MAJOR TRIGGER WARNING****: I am including a major trigger warning in this chapter, for some sexual assault and harassment that happens. I have tried to write that paragraph so that it won't be very vivid or overly sexual; however, I understand that it still may be distressing to some readers. I have italicized that paragraph (it is near the start of the chapter) so that it will be easily identifiable and may be skipped if desired. This chapter also includes the topic of consent in regards to sexual assault and harassment.**

**Gonna reply to reviews on the previous chapter, thanks so much to everyone who reviewed!**

**Guest: This review honestly made me burst out laughing when I read it. When I first created Yulia's character, I didn't really put too much thought into her and didn't realize how similar her appearance was to Grace. However, Lila will say something similar to Alexei when they reunite in Adria! **

**Guest (C.y): Thank you for your kind words! I hope you enjoy this next chapter!**

**Disclaimer****: I do not own the Embassy Row series and all the characters (except for Tanner and Jordan and Alexei's Moscow friends (Roman, Eugene, Josef, and Yulia), who are my own creations). They belong to Ally Carter. I am merely using her characters and plotline to create this fanfiction. This fanfiction is purely for entertainment purposes and would not exist without Ally Carter's wonderful works. **

**The events that happen in this fanfiction are not meant to be representative of real life. The character's actions may not always reflect my own opinions. Based on what happens in this chapter (spoiler alert), I do not condone any form of sexual assault or sexual harassment, underage drinking, and picking fights with others. I also suggest that if you do choose to go in a mosh pit, be aware of your surroundings and don't go beyond your limits, to stay safe and lessen your risk of injuries. I do firmly support the idea of consent in any type of sexual interaction or relationship and Alexei's ideas about consent are somewhat reflective of my own views. **

**Additionally, this chapter takes place at a music festival. I do not own any of the bands or songs mentioned in this chapter (they're all real) and am not trying to profit off them in any way; all those rights go to their respective labels. I am mentioning them as some of my favourite bands and songs and to give the festival some context. You can feel free to check them out if you like rock/ metal music or you can always message me for music recommendations! **

* * *

Chapter Four: Rock On

All morning long, I had been dragged along to shows by various bands. We had seen Dream on Dreamer, Rise Against, Nightwish, and Theory of a Deadman, to name a few. Most of it was loud and screechy and not my thing. However, I had posted a few snippets of each band to my Snapchat story, mostly for Jordan to drool over. He was so jealous when he found out that I was going to Dubrovnia Summerfest with my Moscow friends and kept badgering me to hook him up with them so he could get an invite next year.

Now, we were at the Green Day show, one of the big headlining acts of the rock/ metal day. There were so many people crowded around the stage, watching Green Day play a collection of their greatest hits, old and new. Just like all the other shows, I stayed near the back of the crowd, far enough away from the mosh pit but close enough to keep an eye on everyone. Yet, given all the people and the constant movement in the crowd, I was finding it harder to keep an eye on everyone and had to move every few seconds.

Green Day finished up "When I Come Around" to a steady round of cheers and applause. Then, an all-too familiar guitar riff started as the crowd screamed loudly. Of course. It wouldn't be a classic Green Day show without "Holiday", one of their biggest, all-time hits. I recorded a snippet of the first verse and chorus for my Snapchat story, knowing Jordan would go absolutely mental over it.

By the end of the first chorus, a mosh pit had already opened up. It only got bigger as the song progressed. With all my friends circling around in that pit, I really struggled to keep track of where they were. I eased as close as I could, without other concert goers thinking I wanted to join the pit. Even though I probably stood a fairly good chance in a mosh pit, thanks to my tall stature and lean, muscular build, there was no way in hell I'd ever get in one of them, not with the high risk of injury. I really feared for my shorter and less muscular friends in there, especially Yulia. Despite her petite frame, she had quite literally thrown herself into the mosh pit at all the shows we had attended so far. Much to my astonishment, she wasn't showing many signs of injury, although I wouldn't have been surprised if she woke up covered in bruises tomorrow.

Suddenly, there was a brief pause in the pit. The crowd stood in anticipation for a few moments, before the song's characteristic spoken bridge started. As expected, the mosh pit went absolutely insane. Roman was really going at it, crowd-surfing in the centre of the pit. I cringed looking at him, not even wanting to think about how sore he'd be tomorrow morning or how dangerous it would have been if he had fallen. Yulia was standing a bit off to the side of the pit. I was momentarily relieved, thinking that maybe she had decided to sit out this round, until I realized she wasn't alone.

_A creepy-looking man, maybe in his thirties or forties, was standing next to her. He was talking to her, although she looked like she wasn't having any of it. He touched her arm. She pushed his hand off, only for him to touch her again. Sensing that something was wrong, I started moving closing to them. He grabbed her, touching her butt. Yulia looked extremely uncomfortable and was trying to push herself away but the man had a tight grip on her. His hands were still all over her and I swore one of them was migrating closer to her breasts._

A sense of rage washed over me, wondering how on earth someone could think it was okay to assault a woman, especially a minor. I bolted towards them, not caring who I elbowed in the process. I headed straight for the man, pushing myself in between them. My fist went straight for his nose. On contact, I heard the satisfying crunch of bone, with the river of blood gushing seconds later.

"What were you thinking?" I yelled, not caring who heard. By now, we had caused quite the commotion. The mosh pit had died down, as the attention was directed our way.

"What are you, her boyfriend?" the man sneered, spraying blood everywhere. I immediately positioned myself in front of Yulia, to protect her from the blood and all the infectious diseases it could have been carrying.

"It doesn't matter who I am to her. That wasn't cool." I stared him down, daring him to argue with me.

"Come on, it was just a touch." I felt red hot anger bubbling inside of me, knowing that a storm was about to be unleashed very soon.

"Just a touch? You assaulted her. In what world is that possible okay?" I glared at the man, demanding an answer but he stayed silent, leering at me. I was about to keep going when I felt someone pulling my arm back.

"What's going on here?" I turned to find a security guard holding me. A couple more security guards approached the man, who was now holding his nose, trying to stop the bleeding.

"That man," I said, gesturing at the man, "assaulted my friend." I gestured towards Yulia, who looked pretty shell-shocked.

"Is that true?" one of the security guards asked, looking dubiously at the man.

"Ask the girl," the man sneered, looking at Yulia. I gave him a dirty look, once again stepping protectively in front of Yulia. The security guards looked over at Yulia, who stayed silent, likely not in any state to talk. Luckily, a couple of nearby college students spoke up, saving me from angrily ranting to the security guards.

"Alright, you're coming in the van," one of the security guards said, grabbing the man by the arm. I had been so caught up in my anger that I hadn't noticed the medical van pulling up. Two security guards grabbed the man's arms, leading him to the van. The man gave me and Yulia one last lingering glare before spitting a huge wad of blood right at my feet. I swore at him in Russian, not caring if he understood or not, cursing him for being a despicable human being.

"Alexei, it's okay." I turned to find Yulia standing next to me, her hand on my arm. I hadn't realized she knew what those curse words meant. I felt slightly guilty for swearing in front of her and letting my rage get the better of me.

"There's a shade tent a few blocks away if you need to cool down," the remaining security guard said, gesturing in the appropriate direction.

"Thank you," Yulia said politely, addressing the security guard for the first time. She held my hand as we were escorted over to the shade tent. It was silent the entire way there, the air thick with the tension of what had just happened.

When we reached the tent, the security guard nodded at us, leaving us to our own devices. The tent was quiet, with a few people sitting around on their phones. We each grabbed a bottle of water before settling down into a pair of folding chairs. It was silent for a moment before Yulia spoke up.

"Thanks for everything back there, Alexei. You didn't have to but I appreciate you stepping in for me," she said, looking up at me.

"I had to. It wasn't right, what that asshole did to you. No self-respecting man should take advantage of a woman like that," I said, trying my hardest to keep my voice from quavering with rage. I focused my attention on my bottled water, squeezing the bottle repeatedly.

"Well, thanks for being there and standing up for me when it happened. Not everyone is willing to do what you did." Her words triggered another alarm bell in my head.

"This has happened to you before?" Now, I was fuming. Once was bad enough. But multiple times? How could someone even think of putting a woman through that?

Yulia looked down, avoiding my gaze as she answered. "Just, like, cat-calling, being touched at parties, that type of stuff. Nothing major."

"In my eyes, any form of sexual harassment or assault, no matter how small, is not okay." That type of stuff didn't happen much in Valancia but in Moscow, it was a whole other story.

"I didn't realize you were so liberal about that type of stuff."

I sighed. "It's not so much me being liberal but having common sense and being a decent human being. How hard can it possibly be to respect others?"

"Not everyone is as noble as you. I mean, you quite literally inserted yourself into the situation and took on that man."

"I just did what was right. I couldn't just stand there and let that man that advantage of you. I had to do something."

"Thank you, Alexei," Yulia said, leaning into me, resting her head on my chest. I put my arm around her, as if protecting her.

"Is this okay?" I asked.

"Of course. You don't have to ask, Alexei. I know you're not going to disrespect me and for that, I really appreciate you." I couldn't believe she put that much faith in me, even though I hadn't known her that long.

"How are you feeling?" I asked, after a moment of silence had passed between us.

"A little shaken. I'll be fine," Yulia started. She looked like she wanted to say more. I gave her an encouraging nod. She took a deep breath before continuing. "I mean, it happens. That's an unavoidable part of being female. You're bound to get unwanted sexual attention from men. Yes, it does suck and it's okay to be scared for a few days but you can't let the fear overtake you. Otherwise, if you treat every guy like they're out to get you and use you, you miss out on the good ones who really care. I just need a bit of time to think about it, process it, and move on but I appreciate you being there for me, Alexei. I've definitely had my fair share of unwanted sexual attention but I've had my good moments, like with you. You've been nothing but kind and caring. Please don't ever change." I was sure Lila would beg to differ, especially after I broke things off with her last summer. Sure, I tried my best to be a gentleman, although I was positive I had slipped up here and there. I hoped I wouldn't let Yulia down the same way I had Lila.

"I'm glad to hear that things with me have been okay for you. If you need someone to talk to in the meantime, I'm here," I offered.

"Thanks, Alexei. I'll let you know if I have something on my mind," Yulia said, looking up at me earnestly. We sat in silence, me holding her. Although she may have been against the idea, I knew I would go to the ends of the Earth to protect her, just like with Grace and Lila and any other female in my life.

Yulia pulled out her phone, checking the festival schedule. "It looks like we still have a bit of time before the evening barbeque. Do you want to catch a couple more shows?"

"We can do whatever you want. I'm not leaving your side, no matter what," I said, looking at her fiercely. "I don't want any more sexual harassment happening to you again at this music festival, even if it's as small as someone cat-calling you. None of it is right nor a respectful way to treat women."

"Thanks, Alexei." Yulia squeezed my hand, expressing her gratitude. "It's hard to find someone who genuinely cares. I'm glad you're taking it seriously." Treating women right was second nature to me, especially with the way Mikhail had raised me. It was honestly so distressing to think that so many men out there didn't know how to treat women, especially in this day and age, and that Yulia had her fair share of unwanted sexual attention and shitty relationships. How could someone do that to her, let alone any woman?

"Of course," I replied. "You ready to head off?"

"Yup," Yulia said, with a smile. We stood up, heading back out to the main grounds of the music festival.

"Where to?" I asked, looking at her.

"There are a couple of lesser-known bands that I really want to check out. I was going to attend their shows on my own after the Green Day show but I guess I'm stuck with you now," Yulia said, looking up at me, a playful glint in her eyes. "I hope you like melodic hardcore."

"How bad is it compared to the stuff this morning?" I must have made a funny face because Yulia laughed.

"Don't worry, it's not crazy heavy. It's kind of melancholy with a few unclean vocals but there's a lot of good guitar lines, piano melodies, and soulful lyrics. I think you'll like it." We walked over to one of the smaller stages, where a band called Our Mirage from Germany was playing. Their set had just started. Compared to the bands this morning, this was somewhat decent. I wasn't sure if Jordan was familiar with this band but I recorded a few snippets of what appeared to be the band's most popular songs.

The next band we saw was even better. They were called Holding Absence, a small, up-and-coming band from the UK. Yulia seemed to be a huge fan, as she sung along to every song. I found myself getting into the melancholy vibe the band was giving off, matching the mood that I had settled into after getting all my anger out.

"What did you think?" Yulia asked, after Holding Absence finished their set.

"It was really good, actually," I replied. "You have excellent taste in music." Yulia beamed at me.

We walked over to the dining area, where there were several barbeques going. We grabbed food, a beef burger for me, a mushroom burger for Yulia, and a bag of potato chips to share.

After a few minutes of wandering around, we found Roman, Eugene, and Josef sitting at the end of a crowded picnic table. They squished in to make room for us.

"There's the lovey-dovey couple," Roman said, winking at us. I pointedly ignored that, as I took a big bite of my burger. "We were wondering where you disappeared to after the Green Day show."

"We went to see a couple shows," Yulia said. "I couldn't find anyone to go with me so Alexei volunteered." Roman wiggled his eyebrows at me, which was something Tanner would have done. It seemed like no matter where I was, I could never catch a break from the sex jokes.

"Who did you see?" Eugene asked.

"Our Mirage and Holding Absence."

"Solid choices," Roman said, nodding his approval. "After Green Day, we saw Billy Talent and Disturbed. Man, were those shows lit." The four of them kept talking music and comparing opinions of the bands and setlists. Roman kept saying everything was lit but then again, he was quite drunk.

"Yo, you know what we should do tonight?" Josef said, tapping around on his phone.

"What?" Roman asked, leaning over to look at Josef's phone in curiosity.

"Check out Binevale. According to Google Maps, it's only forty-five minutes away from the festival grounds," Josef said, holding his phone out for everyone to see.

"Really, man, Binevale?" Eugene asked. "The prison from all those tales we heard growing up?"

"Hell yeah. It'll be sick," Josef said.

"Come on, guys, Binevale isn't real," I said, stepping in as the voice of reason to dissuade any crazy, drunken plans they might have.

"What do you call this?" Josef challenged, handing me his phone. I grabbed it, zooming in on the screen. Sure enough, there was a pin on a non-decrepit, lone rectangle, marking it as Binevale. There was even a clear marked path from our location to that pin.

"No way. Someone must have hacked into Google Maps and put that there as a joke. Binevale doesn't exist," I argued. Binevale was just a stupid story to get us all to behave as children. There was no way it actually existed.

"It definitely exists. If it's on Google Maps, it has to be real. Who's down for finding it tonight?" Josef asked, looking at everyone.

"So down," Roman replied, taking a swig of his beer. Eugene nodded in agreement whereas Yulia looked impartial.

"Majority rules," Josef said, looking at me squarely. "I'm sending this to the group chat, to see who else wants to come." He sent a Google Maps screenshot to our music festival group chat. A few other guys expressed interest but ultimately declined, as the majority of the group was heading back to the hotel after the barbeque. In the end, it was just the five of us going. Once again, I didn't understand how I got roped into stupid shit like this. But now, I felt compelled to go, to make sure they didn't get too out of hand.

The five of us piled into Roman's car, using Josef's phone as a guide. Of course, I was the one driving. After going down the main road to the festival grounds for a bit, we turned onto a narrow, unmarked dirt road. I really had to keep my eyes on the road, as Roman's tiny car wasn't built for more than city driving. After a while, we pulled off the road. I slowly drove on the rough terrain, hoping Roman's car would hold up. The last thing I needed was to be stranded in the middle of nowhere in a foreign country.

"Stop the car! Google Maps is telling us to get off and walk!" Josef shouted. I abruptly stepped on the brakes, causing everyone to jolt forward in their seats.

"Some forewarning would have been nice," I muttered, as I put the car into park and killed the engine. Roman, Eugene, and Josef promptly got out of the car.

"You guys coming?" Roman asked, looking at me and Yulia.

"Hell no," I replied, staying put in the driver's seat. "You guys are crazy, you know that?"

"Thanks, I think I've heard that one before," Roman said, flashing me his winning grin. "Yulia, you coming?"

"I'll pass. The shows today were more than enough crazy for me," she said. She then tapped me on the shoulder. "Do you mind if I move into the passenger seat?"

"Not at all," I replied. Yulia smiled, getting out of the car and settling in next to me.

"Someone's getting some tonight," Josef teased, as Eugene made a bunch of kissing noises.

"I swear to God, Alexei, if you get jizz in my car, you're going to pay for it," Roman said.

"Don't worry, my friend, I'll keep it PG just for you," I said. I made a show of turning towards Yulia, putting my hand on her thigh and raising my eyebrows at her.

"Is this okay?" I mouthed at her. She gave me a subtle nod as she played along, laughing at the guys.

"Let's leave before the two lovebirds start going at it," Josef said, looking down at his phone. Roman stuck his tongue out at us before heading off.

It was silent as we watched the guys ascend a steep hill. After a moment, the silence started getting more awkward. I was about to blurt out something stupid, anything to make this less weird, when Yulia burst out laughing.

"What's so funny?" I asked, unable to keep the small smirk off my face. Her laughter was surprisingly contagious, her face glowing with amusement.

"I swear to God, the three of them are acting like they're off to find Neverland or the Wizard of Oz," she said, in between fits of laughter.

"I suppose Binevale does have that same air of mystery, although perhaps, it's not quite as magical."

"I'll say. What's to like about a dingy prison from our childhood fairy tales?"

"Beats me. Do you still remember that nursery rhyme?"

"How could I not?" Yulia said, rolling her eyes. She recited that familiar couplet we both knew so well. _Troubled children take a train. They take a train to Binevale._

"Sounds about right to me," I said, unable to stop myself from smiling at her.

"Unfortunately, that stuck with me after my parents said it to me so many times as a child. Do you remember the stories about the people there?"

"That people who go there do not come out?"

"Yup. For our sake and theirs, I really hope this Binevale thing is a bust."

"I agree. The last thing we need is to explain why the three of them aren't coming back with us to Moscow." Yulia nodded in agreement, putting her feet up on the dashboard. She turned to look out the window, quietly humming. It only took a little twist of my imagination to pretend that was Grace sitting next to me in the passenger seat. She would have fit right in, doing exactly what Yulia was doing.

Suddenly, a weird feeling washed over me, like someone was watching me. I turned around but all I saw was darkness. Somehow, that just made the feeling worse, like anything could be hiding out there, waiting for the perfect moment to get me. I gripped the steering wheel hard with both hands, keeping my eyes focused on the Audi logo in the center of the wheel.

"Alexei, is everything okay?" I turned to find Yulia looking at me, her eyes wide with concern.

"I – I don't know," I replied honestly, trying to keep myself from breaking out into a cold sweat.

"What happened? I swear you were fine a second ago but now you're gripping the steering wheel for dear life." I felt something lightly brushing my arm. I jumped in my seat, my head nearly hitting the roof of the car.

"Sorry, that was me," Yulia said, drawing her hand back. "Is something wrong?"

"I – This weird feeling just hit me all of a sudden. I feel like someone is watching me."

"Do you believe in spirits and the paranormal?"

"No." I had always been a practical person and never cared for the supernatural, until now.

"I'm not a huge believer but I try to be wary. You never know what's out there," Yulia said. She started rubbing my back in a comforting way, almost like how Mikhail did it. It calmed me a bit but didn't completely shake that creepy feeling hanging over me.

"Just a thought. If Binevale really is real and people were imprisoned there until their deaths, then maybe this area is haunted by their spirits seeking vengeance for their unjust imprisonments. What if something's telling me that Roman, Eugene, and Josef are not okay? What if Binevale is real and the three of them are in the process of getting captured and imprisoned for getting too close to discovering the truth?" I had no idea where these conspiracy theories were coming from. Normally, I wasn't a believer. But that creepy feeling refused to go away and now, I wasn't sure what was real anymore or what to believe.

"I'll message them in the music festival group chat," Yulia said, remaining surprisingly calm as she typed on her phone.

"Any replies?" I asked, after a moment.

"Nope. None of them have seen it," Yulia said, showing me the chat on her phone. She had even direct-mentioned them but still nothing.

"Stay here. I'm getting out to find them," I replied, a newfound inkling of courage running through me.

"Are you sure? It's pitch-black and we have no idea what's out there." Yulia was looking at me like I was crazy. I didn't blame her.

"Someone has to make sure they are okay. I don't want anything to happen to you."

"Hey, same to you. Weren't you feeling weird a few moments ago?" I shook that thought aside, prioritizing Yulia's safety over my own.

"I'll be fine. Can you drive?"

"Kind of?"

"Okay. I want you to stay here. If none of us make it back in half an hour, then I want you to call the police. If no one shows up after an hour, not even the police, then I want you to drive back to the hotel." Yulia looked at me skeptically but just nodded, keeping her mouth shut.

"Hopefully this is just me being paranoid," I continued. "But if something dangerous is happening, then I don't want you to get caught in it too. In case I don't make it out alive, I hope you know that I really enjoyed these past few days with you." I wasn't sure where that had come from and didn't know if I was saying it because I genuinely meant it or because of the potentially high-risk situation I was about to get into.

"Me too." I leaned in to kiss her. It was a lingering, desperate kiss, filled with the fears and tribulations of facing the unknown. All too soon, it ended.

"Take care out there, okay?" Yulia said, looking up at me. I nodded, squeezing her hand one last time before getting out of the car, closing the door behind me without looking back. I wasn't sure why it felt like I was on my death march, when I was probably just being paranoid over nothing. That creepy feeling lingering in the back of my mind wasn't helping either.

I made my way up the hill that Roman, Eugene, and Josef had ascended earlier, using my phone flashlight as a guide to light my way. This reminded me of being down in the tunnels under Valancia. I wasn't sure which one was higher stakes but this place definitely gave the tunnels a run for its money.

When I reached the top of the hill, I slowly spun around, aiming my phone flashlight at the surrounding area. I didn't see anything remarkable, until my beam landed on a cluster of what looked like buildings. It was hard to make out, thanks to the dark, starless night sky and the narrow beam of light from my phone that didn't extend very far. Was that Binevale? There was no way it could have been. From what I saw, there weren't any identifying signs. It was probably an old military base or something. Not an eternal prison from made-up stories.

As I made my way down the hill, that weird feeling washed over me again. Throughout my short trip, I hadn't seen any sign of Roman, Eugene, or Josef. Where the hell were they? I suddenly heard some rustling noises and stopped dead in my tracks.

"Who's there?" I said, as boldly as I could. I aimed my phone flashlight at the trees bordering the hill but didn't see anything unusual.

"Hello?" I tried again, spinning on-the-spot with my phone flashlight. Still nothing. I heard those rustling noises again. I pointed my phone flashlight at the trees, trying to keep the beam nice and steady.

"Roman? Eugene? Josef? If you guys are out there, please show your faces." Another thought suddenly occurred to me. "If you guys are playing a prank on me, this isn't funny." Still no response. Feeling dejected, I made my way back to the car, hoping they'd show up sooner or later. Maybe they found an alternative route back to the car and were already there, waiting for me.

I kept my phone flashlight on until I was a few feet from the car. Yulia waved at me through the windshield. I waved back, putting my phone back in my pocket. Yulia made some kind of weird gesture and mouthed something at me. I couldn't quite make out what she was saying. She did the gesture again, which seemed like she was telling me to look behind me. I slowly turned around, not sure what to expect.

Suddenly, a pair of hands placed themselves on either side of my shoulders. "Boo!" I swore, jumping in surprise.

"Gotcha!" I turned around to find Roman standing behind me.

"Jesus Christ, you scared the shit out of me," I said, extremely annoyed. "What was that for?"

"We thought it'd be funny, especially when you came looking for us," Roman replied. He then turned to the side. "Did you get it?"

"Right down to the look on his face," Josef said, his attention on a phone.

"What the hell are you doing?" I asked, getting suspicious.

"We may or may not have been live-posting our adventures on Snapchat," Eugene said casually. At this point, I wasn't sure if they were worse than Tanner when it came to social media and sharing live updates.

"We'll show you and Yulia in the car," Roman said.

"Looks like you all made it back it one piece," Yulia said in amusement, as the four of us climbed into the car. Her phone was sitting in her lap, open to Snapchat.

"Looks like you found our Snap story," Roman said, leaning over the console. "Care to open it up again so we can show Alexei?" Yulia nodded, clicking into Roman's Snap story.

"_Hey people of Snapchat, Roman here,_" video-Roman said, like he was a YouTuber. He panned the camera left and right. "_I'm here with Josef and Eugene to find the mysterious Binevale_." Next, there were quite a few videos of them walking up the hill, talking and joking.

"_Google Maps is saying we're here_," video-Josef said, when they reached the top of the hill.

"_Huh, there's literally nothing here_," video-Roman said, spinning the camera around. All I saw was pitch-black, with the occasional spot of light from a phone flashlight. However, a tiny blur on the screen caught my eye.

"Is anyone else seeing that blur?" I asked.

"Where?" Roman asked, leaning in closer to get a better look. Yulia held her finger on the screen, pausing the Story. I was just barely able to make out a small halo of light, with a black shadow in the middle.

"That's weird, I didn't notice anything earlier," Josef said.

"Yo, what if that's one of the people imprisoned in Binevale, trying to make themselves seen so they can escape?" Roman asked, having a lightbulb moment.

"They should have sent smoke signals or something so we would have known," Josef said.

"Come on, it can't be. Binevale isn't real," I said. "That's probably the reflection from me and Yulia sitting in the car." However, something deep down told me it wasn't. But if it wasn't me and Yulia, then what else could it have been? I hadn't noticed any lights on in that cluster of buildings from my brief glance. The thought alone was enough to send a shiver down my spine.

"Huh, I figured it would have looked more like two people humping," Roman said. I smacked him, as best as I could in the crowded car. He winced in pain. "Hey, what was that for?"

"For opening your mouth and making stupid comments," I growled. I literally couldn't catch a break. Why did I always befriend people who loved making fun of my sex life?

We watched the rest of Roman's Snap story, depicting their adventure into the surrounding woods when they spotted me coming up the hill. I was quite dismayed that they had recorded literally everything I said and couldn't believe they had been hiding out in the trees the whole time. Looking back, I wondered how I hadn't heard them, especially with all the sounds and giggles they were making.

"Damn, looks like that whole Binevale thing was a bust," Josef said, once Roman's Snap story ended.

"Eh, I'd say it was still worth it, especially with the heart attack we gave Alexei," Roman said.

"Let's hope that'll be the only one," I muttered, starting the car.

* * *

**Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Next chapter will be up between July 30 and August 3. **

**What do you think of the blur Alexei saw in Roman's Snap story? What do you think it was? There won't be much more of Alexei's Moscow friends so enjoy them while they're still around! **


	5. Chapter 5 - New Phone, Who Dis?

**Hey guys, I hope you've had a great week! This is a bit of a filler chapter but it sets the stage for Alexei's return to Adria and bridges Alexei's Valancia and Moscow lives. Read on for banter and social media drama! **

**Disclaimer****: I do not own the Embassy Row series and all the characters (except for Tanner and Jordan and Alexei's Moscow friends (Roman, Eugene, Josef, and Yulia), who are my own creations). They belong to Ally Carter. I am merely using her characters and plotline to create this fanfiction. This fanfiction is purely for entertainment purposes and would not exist without Ally Carter's wonderful works. **

**The events that happen in this fanfiction are not meant to be representative of real life. The character's actions may not always reflect my own opinions and views. Based on what is mentioned in this chapter (minor spoiler alert), I do not condone making fun of people's sexual orientation or identity. **

**Additionally, this chapter has mentions of a music festival. I do not own any of the artists mentioned in this chapter (they're all real) and am not trying to profit off them in any way; all those rights go to their respective labels. I am mentioning them as some of my favourite artists to give the festival some context. You can feel free to check them out if you like EDM or you can always message me for music recommendations!**

* * *

Chapter Five: New Phone, Who Dis?

"Man, I still can't get over how sick that was!" Roman exclaimed, as he scrolled through all the videos on his phone. We had gotten back from Dubrovnia Summerfest a couple nights ago. After a chilled day yesterday, the four of us were out for lunch at a café not unlike Amelia's.

"That EDM was better than I thought it'd be. You have good taste, Alexei," Eugene said. After the hellish day of all the rock music and that late-night adventure, the next day was the EDM day, which I greatly enjoyed. It had been my turn to drag my friends around as we checked out all my favourite EDM artists, like Alan Walker, Illenium, Dabin, Kygo, Petit Biscuit, and Swedish House Mafia. It was incredible getting to see all my favourites at one venue. I didn't think I had ever jammed out so hard in my life.

"Agreed. I'll have to see if my dad can hook us up with tickets for the entire festival week next year," Josef said.

"Oh, man, that'll be awesome," Roman said. "Can you believe we'll be graduating high school next year? And then getting to spend an entire week at a lit music festival before starting uni? Damn, that sounds like the good life." We all nodded in agreement. That did sound pretty awesome. Maybe I could invite Tanner and Jordan, even Jamie if he was in town, to Dubrovnia Summerfest next year if all my Moscow friends were going. It would be amazing to have all my friends in one place, as we jammed along to the hit songs by all our favourite artists.

"Alexei, you coming to Moscow next summer?" Roman asked, turning to look at me.

"Hard to say. Depends on where my father is needed," I replied.

"Don't you always come in the summer anyways?" Eugene asked. I pondered that for a moment.

"I suppose so," I said. As far as I could remember, I had always spent at least a week or two in Moscow during the summer. I imagined next year would be no different.

"Will you be coming back over the Christmas break?" Roman asked, leaning back in his chair.

"Of course," I said. That much was a given. Without fail, my father and I always attended the Christmas party put on by the Russian president in his state house. It was a nice opportunity to get away, especially since it was much easier to feel Christmassy in Moscow, with the cold weather, snow, and the festive Christmas decorations.

As everyone kept talking about Dubrovnia Summerfest, my mind wandered to my life in Adria. It was pretty peaceful, consisting of school, exercise, formal events, and friends. Life in Moscow, on the other hand, was non-stop crazy. Every time I came here, even during Christmas, it was a never-ending cycle of things to do, people to see, and parties to attend. Although Adria was quiet, I rarely felt bored. It was where my soul truly belonged, living a quiet, peaceful life. I didn't need the crazy that always seemed to find me in Moscow.

Unfortunately, that crazy had somehow found me in Adria, except it was a different kind of crazy. Not the endless parties, late nights, and raucous noise of Moscow but adrenaline rushes, close escapes, and worldly secrets. I wondered if that side of Adria had always existed and I just hadn't found it until now. Perhaps, it had been brought to me, in the form of a blonde-haired, brown-eyed American girl.

Since Grace had stepped off the plane roughly three and a half weeks ago, my summer had been anything but ordinary. Even now, that was the feeling I got as I read the text from Megan.

"_no updates on Grace_ :/ _same as b4_"

"_can I call u? about grace?_" I texted back. Seconds later, my phone started ringing. The conversation at the table stopped, as Roman, Eugene, and Josef turned to look at me. I said nothing as I stood up and made my way out of the café, only answering my phone once I got outside.

"Hello," I said.

"Hey, Alexei," Megan said. "How's Moscow?"

"Good. Kinda crazy but good."

"I'll say. I saw all your Snap stories. I can't believe you actually went to Dubrovnia Summerfest! Noah and Jordan were going nuts about that." I laughed, easily imagining the two of them freaking out.

"A friend of mine in Moscow had a couple extra tickets. I was invited to go."

"Lucky you."

"Anyways, enough about me and my crazy adventures in Moscow. How's life in Adria?"

"Nothing much, just the same as before." I could imagine Megan shrugging on the other end of the line.

"Except Grace."

"Yeah, Grace."

"Thanks for all the updates, by the way. It's nice to know how she's doing." Since I had left Adria, Megan had sent me daily updates on Grace. It was a nice gesture that lessened my worries about Grace, but only mildly. I knew I would never stop worrying about Grace until she was truly okay. Given how things were going, it would probably take a long time before she reached that state.

"No problem. Noah, Rosie, and I have been going over to the US embassy every day, trying to get her to hang out. But all we ever get is Ms. Chancellor. She's literally our only source of communication with Grace. We've tried texting and calling her so many times but we don't get a response."

"That sounds really frustrating."

"Tell me about it!" I could almost imagine Megan rolling her eyes. "We just want to make sure she's okay. How difficult would it be for her to give us an answer?" Knowing Grace, very. She tended to avoid speaking about her mental health whenever possible, trying to persuade everyone that she was okay. Although that worked on most people most of the time, I had always been able to see right through her.

"You know Grace. She's gone through a lot lately, especially with the G-20 summit. I imagine she'd need some time to come to terms with it all."

"I, for one, would like to know exactly what happened the night of the G-20 finale, for her to become such a recluse. She literally hasn't left her room in a week, according to Ms. Chancellor." I winced. A whole week? That was bad. I had been in Moscow for a week. I couldn't believe Grace had been holed up in her room for that long.

"Getting her to leave her room is one thing. Getting her to spill her secrets is another."

"At this rate, I think we'll need a miracle to get her to leave her room," Megan said, sighing. "It sucks that you aren't here. I'm sure if you were able to work your magic, Grace would be totally fine." I doubted I had that much of a pull on her.

"I don't think I'd be able to do much, given the way you've been describing her."

"Still better than nothing."

"I guess so. It's killing me not to know how she's doing, aside from your updates."

"That's as much as the rest of us know. If I knew more, believe me, I'd tell you."

"I guess we're just going to have to play it by ear and take things one day at a time."

"Unfortunately. Do you know when you're coming back to Adria?"

"No idea. I've barely had any contact with my father this week."

"Damn, well at least you got to go to an awesome music festival."

"Hey, the Festival of the Fortnight is coming up soon."

"Doesn't compare to Dubrovnia Summerfest."

"It's still something fun to do. Maybe Grace would want to go to that?"

"Maybe, depending on if she'll finally decide to leave her room. A bunch of us are going to Amelia's for lunch in a few hours then Lila's hosting a party tonight. I was thinking of going to the embassy, to see if she wants to come but at this point, I highly doubt it." I couldn't help but be secretly envious of everyone meeting up at Amelia's. I wished I could be there.

"That sounds like fun. I'd say it's worth a shot."

"I guess so."

"Anyways, thanks again for the update. Have fun at Amelia's and at Lila's party."

"I'll try. Have fun with whatever you're doing."

"Just out for lunch with my friends. I think we're going easy on the parties after Dubrovnia Summerfest." Megan laughed at that.

"I'll talk to you later."

"Yup, bye." I hung up, taking in everything I had just talked about with Megan. It sounded like Grace's condition was deteriorating, and fast. Did the events of the G-20 finale really send her into such a state? I mean, I had witnessed it first-hand, seeing the prime minister lying on the ground and Ms. Chancellor wielding a gun. That alone could have been pretty traumatizing for anyone. But would it have been enough to drive Grace crazy? She had gone through so much that perhaps something like that wouldn't have been enough of a trigger. No, something more must have happened, something that none of us knew about. What it was, I had no idea. All I knew is that it would be another one of Grace's deep, dark secrets, adding to the wall that she was hiding herself behind. I thought I had come close to breaking down that wall, with our late-night conversation. But just as it nearly crumbled, she added more to it, making herself more unstable. Eventually, she was going to hit a point where it would become too much. And if, no _when_, she hit that point, I could only hope she'd let me be there for her.

I walked back into the café, keeping my face neutral. I sat back down and started eating again, hoping my friends wouldn't think much of my absence. Unfortunately, that didn't seem to be the case, as Roman, Eugene, and Josef all stared at me point-blank.

"Where did you go?" Roman asked.

"I had a phone call to attend to," I said, my food suddenly becoming less appetizing.

"Who's Megan?" Josef asked. How did they know I was talking to her?

"I don't know what you're talking about," I lied.

"Yeah right. I saw that name on your phone's calling screen as you walked out," Josef continued.

"Is she your girlfriend?" Roman asked, wiggling his eyebrows.

"No," I said, matter-of-factly. I was here to enjoy a nice, chilled lunch, not talk about my love life. I already got more than enough of that from Tanner and Jordan.

"Yeah right. You were gone for an awfully long time, my friend," Roman said, elbowing me.

"Megan is my friend. I'm pretty sure she has a boyfriend," I said, thinking back to the picture I had seen on Megan's Instagram of her and Noah at Rosie's birthday party a couple days ago. They looked pretty damn couply in that pic, as they posed on the clifftops, with the setting sun and the sea in the background.

"Besides, don't you have a thing with Yulia?" Josef asked. I looked at him horrified. How did that get out?

"I mean, you _did_ spend the whole day with her yesterday," Eugene said, with a shrug, before I could say anything.

"Come on, we were just chilling as friends. She was gracious enough to show me more of Moscow," I said, coming to her defense. Yesterday morning, she had texted me, asking if I wanted to attend a kickboxing class with her at her favourite boxing gym. I had desperately been in need of a workout after Dubrovnia Summerfest and agreed. The class had been super fun and engaging and we both got really good workouts. After, we went for lunch at a nearby vegan café. Then, she took me to a couple of her favourite lesser-known museums where we walked through the nearly-empty exhibits and admired all the cool things on display. After a bunch of us got together for dinner, we went for a walk along the Moskva River, talking about everything and nothing. It had been an amazing day from start to finish, so much that neither of us had wanted it to end when I had finally escorted her back to her place. But I very well wasn't going to spend the night with her, especially since we were just casual.

"Pssh, as if you need a tour guide. You were born here and spend a combined total of at least a month here every year. Moscow's practically your home," Roman said.

"Besides, you and her seemed to be totally wrapped up in each other during dinner yesterday," Eugene chimed in.

"And let's not forget that steamy hot-tub make-out. If that doesn't scream 'relationship', then I don't know what does," Josef said, going in for the final blow. Oh gosh, they had seen that? I thought everyone had already gone back up to their rooms or were too preoccupied in the pool.

"So, are you and her together? It's totally cool if you are," Roman said. It looked like I wouldn't be able to get out of this, no matter how hard I tried. The three of them had way too much ammo against me and they knew it.

"We're just casual," I said, caving in and telling them the truth. If I lied, I knew they would keep prying until they finally got the real deal. "I haven't known her for that long and we're most likely going to break things off once I go back to Adria at the end of the summer."

"Why not do long distance? I mean, the two of you seem pretty into each other," Eugene said.

"The only reason a guy wouldn't do long distance is because he already has someone else back home," Josef said. I almost wanted to punch him for his comment. That was hitting way too close to home.

"Whoa, you've got a chick in Adria _and_ a chick in Moscow?" Roman asked, bewildered. "My friend, you do not strike me as the player type."

"I am not dating anyone in Adria," I said firmly, trying to clear the air. "Besides, that would be a major asshole move."

"Doesn't mean you can't have your eye on someone there," Josef said casually. Geez, he really was trying to stir the pot.

"So, do you have a thing for someone in Adria?" Roman asked, turning to look at me.

"What makes you think I do?" I said, going for the evasive route again. The less they knew about my love life, the better.

"Your mysterious texts every day," Josef said. Had they really noticed Megan texting me updates about Grace every day?

"Just my friends in Adria updating me about life there. What's so mysterious about that?" I said breezily.

"Pretty sure that someone you're texting is more than just a _friend_," Roman said, elbowing me. "I know for a fact one of your friends is that Asian guy who kept sending you Snaps."

"You mean the gaysian who's secretly in love with you," Josef said quickly, hiding it with a cough.

"Yo, dude, not cool," I fired back, sticking up for Tanner. Josef just shrugged, in that snobby, rich kid way of his.

"And that guy with the blue hair and the nose ring who also sent you Snaps. He's one of your friends too, no?" Eugene added. I nodded in response. I wondered how Tanner and Jordan would feel about my Moscow friends knowing they existed. That would be an interesting conversation.

"How often do you talk to them?" Roman asked.

"We've got a group chat that's pretty active. I was texting them every day," I argued.

"Yeah but you never bothered hiding your screen when you were texting them," Roman said.

"Are you sure that Megan girl isn't your girlfriend back in Adria?" Josef said, giving me a quizzical look.

"For Christ's sake, I _already_ told you that she has a boyfriend," I said, irritated that they were pushing this so far. To get them to shut up, I caved and pulled up that Instagram pic.

"Who's to say that's her boyfriend? There's literally only one picture of them," Josef said. He had grabbed my phone and was casually stalking Megan's Instagram.

"I think they just started dating," I said.

"Not sure how much I believe that but okay," Roman said, looking over Josef's shoulder as he kept scrolling through Megan's Insta.

"Might as well go and stalk everyone in Valancia while you're at it," I muttered, as the three of them crowded around my phone.

"We're one step ahead of you, buddy," Josef said, an evil glint in his eye. That got me worried. What the hell were they doing on my phone?

"I gotta say, that Megan's supposed boyfriend looks like he could be on some Brazilian National Junior's football team," Roman said.

"That's because one, he's part Brazilian, and two, he actually does play football," I said. Much to my horror, they were now on Noah's Insta.

"Damn, well something must be working because he's scoring those chicks. That one's a stunner," Roman said. I looked at the picture they were on and had to restrain myself from laughing.

"That's his twin sister, genius," I said.

"How? They don't look anything alike," Eugene said, as the three of them scrutinized that pic.

"Trust me, they're twins all right," I said.

"Twins or not, that girl is an absolute babe," Josef said, now scrolling through Lila's Insta. Lila constantly posted on Instagram, her account filled with selfies, ocean pictures, and makeup looks.

"I'll say," Roman agreed. The three of them had a lot of fun looking through Lila's Insta.

"Damn, this guy is a hunk. He's practically built like a tank," Josef said, looking stunned. I peeked over to see whose Instagram they were stalking now. Surprisingly, they had somehow ended up on Jamie's account. As they started scrolling, a picture caught my eye.

"Wait a sec, let me see that," I said, gesturing for my phone. Josef wordlessly handed my phone back to me. I scrolled back up to the start, clicking on the most recent post. It had just been posted a few hours ago, explaining why I hadn't seen it yet. It was an old picture of him and Grace standing on Embassy Row, the various flags and the setting sun in the background.

"_It's been a few years but I can't wait to come back! See you soon Adria! #throwback_" I read through the caption again, unable to believe my eyes. It looked like it was official; Jamie was heading back to Adria. He had briefly mentioned it the last time he called me, about a week ago, but hadn't said any more about hanging out since then. Either way, I wasn't sure how long he'd be in Adria or how long I'd be in Moscow. Maybe Ms. Chancellor had let it slip that I was out of town, which explained the lack of contact.

I took another look at the picture. It was probably taken three years ago, the last time Jamie and Grace were in Adria. Even back then, it was obvious that Grace was going to be beautiful when she grew up. Or maybe that was clouded by my feelings for her. Her and Jamie looked so happy in that picture. I imagined it must have been before everything that had happened, to cause her to build that wall around herself.

"Whatcha looking at?" Roman asked, leaning over. I leaned away, to hide the phone screen from their view. Unfortunately, Josef swooped in, plucking my phone out of my hands, taking a good, hard look at Jamie's most recent post.

"Looks like we found Alexei's Adria girl," Josef said, a devilish smile on his face.

"Christ, she looks like a child," Roman said, with a freaked-out facial expression.

"That's a throwback picture, genius," I said, disgruntled.

"What's her name?" Eugene asked.

"Like I'm going to tell you," I retorted. No way in hell was I going to tell them anymore about Grace.

"Time to do some more digging, boys," Josef said. He clicked out of Jamie's account and back to mine. He clicked on my followers and started scrolling through them.

"Wow, personal space much?" I deadpanned. The three of them were pretty much neck-and-neck with Tanner and Jordan now, in terms of prying in my life.

"I'm not leaving til I get a name," Josef said, as he kept scrolling.

"Well, you're not getting one so you might as well give up," I said through gritted teeth, my patience seriously being tested.

"Man, you're clearly underestimating my powers of Internet stalking," Josef continued, as he started scrolling through the accounts I was following.

"I'm pretty sure she doesn't have an Instagram," I said. At least to my knowledge, she didn't.

"Bullshit, everyone has Instagram nowadays," Josef said.

"Come on, Josef, I think we've done enough digging into Alexei's Adria life," Roman said, graciously coming to my defense. Josef grudgingly agreed, but not before clicking back into Jamie's account. Roman took my phone, about to hand it back to me before something caught his eye.

"Wait, is that an American flag?" he asked, shocked. The four of us leaned in to look at my phone again. Sure enough, in Jamie's Instagram bio, there were emojis of the American and Adrian flags.

"Damn, that is," Eugene said. "Don't tell us your Adria girl is part American." I just stayed silent, feeling absolutely mortified. Unfortunately, I was pretty sure the look on my face gave me away as the three of them stared at me in horror.

"Dude, if you shack up with her, that's going to cause the second Cold War," Josef said.

"Tell me about it. That's why I'm rather reluctant to make this known," I replied, glaring at him for being so determined to dig into my life.

"I'll say. Your dad will be _pissed_ if he finds out," Roman said, handing me my phone back.

"You don't say," I muttered, placing my phone back in my pocket before anyone else decided to do more Internet stalking into my life in Adria. If only they knew just how ironic Roman's statement was.

"Hey, it looks like it'll be a nice, sunny afternoon. You guys want to head to Gorky Park and see if we can crash a pick-up game of football?" Roman asked. We all agreed, paying for our lunches before walking there. Gorky Park was well-known for its variety of activities, from museums, to gardens, to sports. Just recently, a new sports centre, Nike Box MSK, had opened in collaboration with Nike. They had an amazing outdoor football pitch, inspired by the _korobka,_ small, enclosed pitches where many children learned to play street football. Over the years, I had spent many summer days in Moscow playing street football in various _korobkas_. It was one of my favourite childhood memories.

As Josef and Eugene walked ahead, I lingered behind with Roman.

"Hey, man, thanks for intervening," I said. I was grateful to Roman for the distraction, so that the others couldn't keep prying into my love life.

"No worries. You were looking a little uncomfortable," Roman replied. "I'm sorry for egging you on. I was just trying to poke some fun at you but I should have known Josef would have pushed it way out of control."

"It's cool." I knew Roman would never intentionally cause any drama, even though he loved making fun of me.

"Besides, who you shack up with is none of my business. Any girl, here or in Adria, would be lucky to have one fine guy like you."

"Thanks, man, I really appreciate it." It was nice to know that Roman had given me his blessing, for now and into the future.

"Just make sure to invite me to the wedding. I have a lot of good stories about you that I'd love to share," Roman said, with his characteristic smile and wink.

"Rest assured, bro, you'll be getting dibs of the mike," I said, playfully smacking his shoulder. Roman just smacked me back, before motioning for us to run, so we could catch up to Eugene and Josef.

The sports centre, particularly the outdoor football pitch, was bustling with activity when we arrived. Fortunately, we were able to join a few pick-up games. We played for about an hour before my phone started ringing. Everyone looked at me in surprise. I quickly stepped off the pitch, motioning for them to keep playing.

"Hello?" I said, answering the call without checking the caller ID.

"Alexei, where are you?" my father asked, getting right to the point as usual.

"I'm in Gorky Park." I tried to keep from quivering in fear as I answered, wondering why my father was suddenly talking to me after hiding his face for the past week.

"I need you to come back right away." Gorky Park was across the Moskva River from the condo. It would take me about twenty minutes to walk home. How soon did my father want me home?

"Is it urgent?" I suddenly started feeling concerned, all sorts of terrible situations running through my mind.

"You'll see," my father said, hanging up without another word.

* * *

**Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Next chapter will be up between August 8 and August 12. Why do you think Alexei's dad called him? **

**In case you were confused at the end, they're playing soccer, not American football. I ended up making a bunch of last-minute changes to that part, to make it as authentic as possible, in terms of locations in Moscow and Russian football culture. **

**Would anyone be interested in reading a separate one-shot of Alexei and Yulia's day in Moscow (which is described in this chapter)? It'll be pure fluff, which wouldn't really fit into this story, but I can definitely write it and post it separately! **


	6. Chapter 6 - The Final Moment of Bliss

**Hey guys, I hope you've had a great week! I'm spending the rest of my summer chilling out so I've had a lot of time to edit On the Run (hoping to finish first edits of the entire thing before I start school again) and write Take the Key and Lock Her Up in Alexei's POV (currently writing the Gralexei train conversation. You know the one). This chapter has three distinct sections, each with their own unique vibe and exciting things that happen, so it starts off in one place and finishes in a different place (both literally and figuratively). Read on for big life changes and relationship drama! Also, everyone's favourite duo is making their comeback in this chapter ;)**

* * *

**Gonna reply to reviews on the previous chapter, thanks so much to everyone who reviewed!**

**Guest 1: The Spence/Alexei fight is coming VERY soon! That chapter will be posted before the end of August!**

**Guest 2: Thank you! I'm glad to hear that you've been enjoying my stories! I haven't considered writing a whole other fanfiction after Take the Key and Lock Her Up. For now, I'm just planning on doing a one-chapter epilogue to tie up some loose ends for Alexei's storyline. I do have some other Embassy Row fanfiction ideas that take place in other worlds and are completely unrelated to the original Embassy Row plotline.**

* * *

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Embassy Row series and all the characters (except for Tanner and Jordan and Alexei's Moscow friends (Roman, Eugene, Josef, and Yulia), who are my own creations). They belong to Ally Carter. I am merely using her characters and plotline to create this fanfiction. This fanfiction is purely for entertainment purposes and would not exist without Ally Carter's wonderful works. **

**The events that happen in this fanfiction are not meant to be representative of real life. Any similarities to any real-life events or fictional works is purely coincidental and not intended by me (with the exception of the original Embassy Row books by Ally Carter since this fanfiction is literally See How They Run but from Alexei's, not Grace's, perspective). The character's actions and views may not always reflect my own opinions or views. **

**This fanfiction is rated T, for suggestive themes, language, and violence. This chapter contains mild to moderate language (since I literally can't seem to go a chapter without swearing) and mild to moderately crude banter. Read at your own discretion.**

* * *

Chapter Six: The Final Moment of Bliss

When I got back to our condo, I headed straight for my father's office. He had spent the majority of the week holed up in there and I imagined it wouldn't be any different now. I was about to knock on the door when his voice suddenly rang out.

"Hello, I am calling in regards to Karina Volkov." The mention of my mother's name caught me off guard. For as long as I could remember, my father never gave a shit about my mother. And now, he was suddenly making phone calls about her? Even though I knew it was a bad idea, something compelled me to stay.

"I believe she is staying at your facility." So my mother was alive, after all these years, and not missing, like I had been led to believe? And no one had bothered to tell me?

"She has been reported missing for the last ten years. A reliable source pointed me towards your facility. I am hoping to get some information on her condition." A facility? That struck me as odd. It almost sounded like my mother was staying in some government-authorized centre. The only thing that came to mind was a prison.

Oh God, had my mother been alive and imprisoned all these years? What kind of crime could she possibly have committed, in order to be in prison for ten years? I suddenly remembered that letter she had written to me, all those years ago, and how she said people were onto her. Had she willingly left, in an attempt to avoid prison, only to end up there anyways?

A harsh, cold feeling suddenly washed over me. How could my mother willingly have committed crimes and left me, her only child? Had she not realised the impact it would have on me, as I grew up? Whatever she had done, she absolutely deserved that punishment.

"Very well then. Thank you for your time." My father abruptly hung up. I snapped back to my senses. If my father caught me eavesdropping, he would certainly be at my throat. I walked away as quickly and quietly as possible, heading over to the lounge. I plopped myself down on the nearest couch, sending my father a quick text to let him know I was home. I tried to sprawl out like I didn't have a care in the world. But given everything I had just heard, it was hard to get those racing thoughts of my mother out of my mind.

A moment later, my father walked into the lounge.

"You called and ask me to come home right away," I said.

"Yes," my father replied, turning to face me. "Victor has officially announced his retirement as the Russian ambassador in Adria. After much discussion, I was appointed to take his place."

"Congratulations."

"We are going back to Adria tonight." I immediately perked up. I couldn't wait to get back to Valancia and see all my friends again. Hopefully, I'd be able to see Grace too.

"However, I need you to be aware of a few things, now that I am the ambassador," my father continued, giving me a hard look. "I will be required to attend and host many more formal events. As my son, you are expected to be present at every single one of them, at least during the summer. Once the school year starts again, we will re-evaluate your attendance at these events. I expect that you will be on your best behaviour at these events and that you will represent Russia well."

"Of course." That didn't sound difficult. It seemed like the standards I was already used to.

"Now that we will be in the public eye much more, you will need to consciously think about your actions and the consequences that may follow, not just at public events but in seemingly private situations. From this point forward, anything you do and say, regardless of where you are, could potentially be used against not just you, but the embassy as a whole, to tarnish our reputation. As you know, reputation is everything. Victor worked hard to rebuild Russia's reputation in Adria and I will do everything I can to maintain it. As my son, you are expected to uphold Russia's reputation wherever you are."

"Yes, father." There he was again, going on and on about reputation, literally the only thing he seemed to care about.

"Additionally, making and maintaining good diplomatic relationships is going to be much more crucial, especially with the American embassy." My father gave me a cold look. "I know how you feel about the American girl. I trust that you will not let your feelings for her get in the way of maintaining a good relationship with the United States."

"So you'd like me to stay away from her?"

"Ideally, yes. However, it would be impractical to ask you to stay away from her, in terms of maintaining diplomatic relations with the United States. If you must interact with her, act civil and polite, but not friendly, towards her. There is a fine line between the two that you have crossed many times. Do I need to explain myself further or have I made myself clear?"

"No, I understand, father."

"Good. We leave in three hours."

* * *

After a quick shower, thanks to that intense hour of football, it didn't take me long to pack my things. Within thirty minutes, my backpack and my duffel bag were all ready to go. I was just sitting on the bed, waiting for my father to give me to go ahead.

I heard muffled voices. I poked my head out the door, the voices getting louder. I headed down the hallway, following the voices, until I ran smack-dab into three familiar figures.

"Alexei, my man! We were starting to think that you weren't here and was just trolling us," Roman said.

"I was just chilling in my room," I said, looking around at Roman, Eugene, and Josef. I led them over to the lounge, where we'd be more comfortable.

"This looks sick! You should have shown us this earlier," Eugene said, making himself comfortable. The lounge was filled with comfortable couches and armchairs. There were a number of flat-screen TV's arranged on the walls of the room, leaving every seat with a good viewing angle. A mini bar sat at the far end of the room.

"And now you're leaving us way too soon," Roman said, shaking his head.

"Answering a booty call for your Adria girl?" Josef asked.

"As if. My father is to be the new ambassador of the Russian embassy in Adria," I said. Roman's face visibly lit up.

"Damn, congrats to you and your father, my man," Roman said, wrapping me up in a guy hug. "Embassy life doesn't get much better than that."

"I guess," I said, with a shrug. When my father was the chief of staff, we were pretty much living the prime life at the embassy. I didn't think our lifestyle could possibly get much better, now that my father was the ambassador.

"Does that mean you'll be coming back to Moscow more?" Eugene asked.

"It's hard to say. It'll depend on where my father is needed," I replied.

"Man, you better be coming back to Moscow more," Roman said. "We don't get enough of you here."

"What do you mean? I was here for a whole week," I retorted.

"Just barely a week and now you're leaving."

"Hey, I don't control my travel schedules," I said, holding up my hands in defense.

"Well, maybe I'll have to get in a word with my father and see if he can get your father to come to Moscow more for business meetings," Roman said, with a devilish smirk.

"So what now?" Eugene asked.

"I've got my stuff all packed up and ready to go. Just waiting for my father to give me the go ahead before we head to the airport," I replied.

"Does Yulia know you're leaving?" Josef asked. I should have known that was going to come up eventually.

"I texted her to say that I was. I think she's seen it but she hasn't replied," I said.

"That poor girl. You broke her heart so now she's leaving you on read," Josef replied, shaking his head.

"Like I said, I have zero control over my travel schedules," I said.

"Maybe it was better not to tell her you're leaving over text?" Eugene asked warily.

"I didn't want to spring it on her in person," I said. "I was trying to choose the lesser of two asshole moves, okay?"

"Either way, you're still an asshole," Josef said, with a shrug. "If you ask me, you shouldn't have gotten involved with Yulia, especially with your girl in Adria." As much as I wanted to argue against him, it was hard to refute his logic. Deep down, I knew that Yulia wasn't going to react well to me leaving Moscow. I had only caused unnecessary relationship drama by choosing to get involved with her. But did I regret the time I had spent with her? The more I thought about it, the more I didn't.

"Like that hasn't stopped you from trying," Roman said, looking over at Josef.

"Oh please, I was made for the playboy lifestyle. Alexei is that sensible guy next door who couldn't cheat, even if he tried," Josef said. If only he knew just how ironic that statement was.

"So, how much time you got now?" Roman asked, grabbing a nearby remote. All the TV's in the room came to life, showing the news, before Eugene grabbed the remote, flipping it to the sports channel, which was currently airing a recap of the week's best sports moments.

"About an hour and a half," I said, checking the time on my phone.

"You think Yulia's going to make it?" Roman asked.

"Hard to say. I included my address in the text but she still hasn't replied," I said, checking my texts.

"Dude, that girl is one hundred percent leaving you on read. She'll come if she wants to," Josef said. "If you double text, that's gonna make you seem desperate."

"I wouldn't want her to miss her chance to say goodbye," I said.

"Dude, why the hell do you care?" Josef retorted. "You do have a girl in Adria, after all. Shouldn't you be rearing up to bed her again after a whole week, instead of worrying about Yulia?" Geez, taking Grace to bed was the last thing on my mind right now.

"I wouldn't want to cause her any more pain than necessary. I imagine she'd be devastated if she didn't get one last chance to say everything that was on her mind."

"By getting into a thing with Yulia, while you have a girl in Adria, you were basically signing yourselves up for more pain." Although he was quite snobby and could seriously be an asshole sometimes, I had to admit, Josef really did know a thing or two about relationships.

"Yo, does Yulia know about your Adria girl?" Roman asked, suddenly becoming interested in the conversation again.

"I don't know. I never told her anything," I stated.

"Well, she's bound to find out eventually. Be glad the two of you weren't more serious," Josef said. Things only would have gotten worse if I had gotten more involved with Yulia, especially with my lingering feelings for Grace. If we had kept it up, then I likely would have slipped up at some point.

The four of us chilled out in the lounge for a while, watching the sports channel and talking about everything and nothing. In that entire time, Yulia never replied to my text. I honestly wasn't sure what to make of that, despite everything that Josef said.

"What do you say, boys?" Roman asked, after the show finished. "Should we make our getaway so Alexei can get some last-minute alone time with Yulia?"

"Sure," Eugene said, turning off the TV.

"Provided she even shows up in the first place," Josef added.

"If she does, then I definitely don't want to take the blame for cock-blocking," Roman said, standing up. "It was amazing getting to see you and hang out this week, Alexei. Let us know when you're coming back, okay?"

"For sure," I replied. "Have a great rest of your summer."

"You too, my friend," Roman said, wrapping me up in a guy hug. I did the same with Eugene and Josef then bided the three of them farewell.

I headed back to my room, sitting down on the bed. It was hard to believe this week had gone by so fast. Even though Roman, Eugene, and Josef were absolutely insane, I had really enjoyed hanging out with them. Although I enjoyed the peacefulness of Adria, sometimes, I found myself missing the craziness of Moscow. I knew that this past week was one I wouldn't ever forget, thanks to all the non-stop adventures we had.

A soft knock on the door broke me out of my thoughts.

"Come in!" I called out, expecting it to be my father. However, the person who walked in was the last person I expected to see.

"Hey." I looked up to see Yulia walking into my room. As usual, she looked effortlessly casual-chic, clad in a t-shirt dress and Converse, her long hair pulled back in a ponytail. However, I didn't miss the sad look in her eyes.

"Hey yourself," I said softly. She sat down next to me on the bed.

"So you're going back to Adria, huh?"

"Yeah, my father just told me a couple hours ago."

"I didn't think you'd be going back so soon."

"Me neither."

"Do you know why you're going back?"

"My father has been appointed as the new ambassador of the Russian embassy in Adria."

"Congratulations. That must be really exciting."

"It is. Being the ambassador and representing Russia is a big responsibility but I know my father will do an excellent job of it." Yulia nodded, not saying anything. There was a moment of silence between us as the inevitable dread built up.

"I guess this is the end then," Yulia said. "I mean, there is the long distance option but we did explicitly say we'd end things when you went back to Adria. I just didn't think it'd be so soon." I just nodded in agreement.

"Do you think you'll be coming back to Moscow later in the summer?" Yulia asked.

"Honestly, it's hard to say. It'll depend on where my father is needed, especially with his new position as the ambassador. But we'll be back during the holidays, for the Christmas party at the president's state house."

"I see. That's still a good five months away."

"Yeah. I mean, we have social media."

"Yeah, that's true." It seemed like something was really bothering Yulia but I didn't want to push her into talking. We sat in silence for a moment, neither of us saying anything. Then, Yulia cleared her throat.

"The reason why you were afraid to commit and didn't want to take things further," Yulia said huskily, looking up at me. "There was always another girl, wasn't there?" Had it really been that obvious?

"Yes," I replied simply. "I'm not dating anyone back in Adria but I have feelings for someone there."

"Well, I really hope it works out between you and that girl. I think you're a really good guy, Alexei. Any girl would be lucky to have you."

"Hey, don't sell yourself short. I really enjoyed the time that we spent together."

"Did you really?" It broke my heart, to hear all that doubt in her voice. How many guys had she been played by, who kept her around for a while then just ended up messing with her?

"Of course. You showed me a side of Moscow that I had never seen before. I'm never going to forget that." I looked at her earnestly, willing her to believe me. Yulia's face broke into a small smile, although it quickly disappeared. I couldn't stop myself from reaching out for her hand, taking it in mine and using my thumb to rub small circles on the back of her hand. "I don't want you getting hung up over me for the rest of the summer and into the school year while I'm in Adria. There are plenty of other great guys out there."

"I know. I guess I'll get over it eventually. I can't help but feel like we met under the wrong circumstances." I took a moment to think about Yulia's words. What if my father had never accepted that position as the military and security advisor for the Russian embassy in Adria, all those years ago? My family would have lived in Moscow and I would have gone to the same school as Roman, Eugene, Josef, and Yulia. It was hard to imagine a life where I hadn't met anyone I knew in Adria. If I had lived my life in Moscow, would Yulia and I have met under different circumstances? Would we be really close friends or even in a long-term relationship? It was hard to fathom the possibilities.

"I'm sure we'll see each other again in the future."

"Yeah, maybe."

"No matter what happens, I think it's safe to say you're one of my friends." That made Yulia smile a little. "Even if things don't work out now, or ever, then we still have a good friendship."

"That's true. I'm glad we met, even if it didn't turn out the way I had hoped."

"Me too," I said, unable to stop myself from smiling. Despite the circumstances and pretenses under which we had our semi-relationship, I didn't regret a second of it. It was a blissful distraction from everything that was falling apart in my Adria life.

A knock on the door got our attention.

"Alexei, the car is here. We are leaving in ten minutes," my father said, poking his head in. I didn't miss the look he gave mine and Yulia's intertwined hands. I nodded at my father. He walked out of my room without another word, closing the door behind him.

"Well, I guess that's my cue to leave," Yulia said, standing up.

"And mine as well," I replied, standing. I let go of her hand.

"Thank you for everything this week, Alexei." Yulia looked up at me, tears shining in her eyes. "I'm going to miss you."

"Me too." I pulled her into a hug, holding her in my arms for the last time. She buried her head in my chest, her arms squeezing tight around me. I leaned down so I could whisper in her ear. "Don't forget everything I told you just now, okay?" Yulia pulled away from me briefly, to look up at me. A lone tear at the corner of her eye escaped. I gently placed my thumb just under her eye to catch it, before it could fall. She leaned up towards me, closing the distance between us as our lips met one last time. When we finally pulled apart, I couldn't help but stare into her vibrant green eyes that were now glistening with tears, locked in this final moment of bliss before the inevitable end.

* * *

I stared out the window as the jet slowly descended into Adria. I took in the familiar wall surrounding Valancia and all the embassies arranged on the outskirts of the city. When the jet finally touched down, I instantly felt a sense of homecoming, like I was back where I truly belonged.

I followed my father to the check-in for embassy members. When we headed out to the front of the airport, I spotted Mikhail waiting by a car. I immediately made my way over to him.

"Lyosha, how was the flight?" Mikhail asked, wrapping me up in a hug. I eagerly returned his hug, glad to see him again.

"It was alright," I replied. I had spent the majority of the flight listening to music. I had slept, on and off, but still felt kind of groggy.

Mikhail smiled at me then turned towards my father. "Congratulations, Sergei, or should I say, Ambassador Volkov?"

My father laughed, although it felt a bit forced. "Thank you, Mikhail. It is an honour to be serving as the Russian ambassador in Adria. And you can still call me Sergei." He and Mikhail continued chatting embassy business on the drive back to the embassy, the place that had been my home for the past fourteen years.

When we pulled up to the front of the embassy, Mikhail helped my father unload his luggage from the car.

"You need a hand?" Mikhail asked me, as I took my backpack and duffel bag out of the trunk.

"I'll be alright. Thanks," I replied.

"Are you heading up to your room?" Mikhail asked. Although his face remained blank, I could have sworn there was a knowing, playful glint in his eyes.

"Yes. I'd like to unpack and settle in."

"Sounds good. I'll catch up with you later." I nodded. I could imagine that Mikhail would have many meetings to attend, now that my father was back as the new ambassador.

I walked into the embassy, which was bustling with activity. The news of my father's return and his new position as the ambassador had no doubt spread. I wouldn't be surprised if celebrations were being planned for him. I opened the door to my room and was about to walk in when I was suddenly hit by someone.

"BRO, YOU'RE BACK!" Tanner exclaimed. He had barreled into me, wrapping me up in a huge hug. My duffel bag dropped to the floor, thanks to the force Tanner had hit me with.

"Nice to see you too, buddy," I managed to get out, amidst Tanner's bone-crushing hug. "Mikhail let you guys in?"

"Yup. That guy is honestly a godsend," Jordan said. "Hey, let me in on the action too." Tanner finally released me and Jordan hugged me, not nearly as hard as Tanner had. "Glad to have you back. Tanner was going insane without you."

"I was not," Tanner protested, although judging by the look on his face, he definitely had.

"How was Moscow?" Jordan asked. "Got in any quality bonding time with your dad?"

"As if. He pretty much spent every day in business meetings and I spent my time chilling with my friends, just like I do here," I replied.

"_But_, you went to Dubrovnia Summerfest," Jordan argued.

"Yeah, that too," I said, with a shrug.

"Bro, we can't even get a decent music festival here. All we have is that shitty Festival of the Fortnight," Jordan moaned.

"Maybe if you had a greater appreciation for history, you'd enjoy the Festival of the Fortnight more," I retorted. Jordan just gave me a dirty look.

"Besides, you got us in Adria, making it way better than Moscow," Tanner said. "Am I right?"

"It's hard to compare you guys and my Moscow friends since you're all so different. Though I kinda missed you guys while I was in Moscow," I said earnestly.

"Kinda? Am I really not that memorable?" Tanner asked, a mock look of shock on his face.

"Oh, please, you are extremely memorable," I retorted. "My Moscow friends noticed your constant texts and Snaps. You too Jordan."

"Who would have thought?" Jordan muttered.

"Anyways, I really appreciate you guys stopping by but I'm beat," I said. "I need to unpack then I think I'll have an early night." Tanner and Jordan just stared at me like I had grown a third limb.

"What?" I asked, suddenly feeling very uncomfortable.

"Bro, there is no way you're having an early night, not with the sick party tonight," Jordan said. I wondered where I had heard that before. This seemed like a very bad case of déjà vu.

"What party?" I asked, with a groan. I was so not in the mood for a party right now, especially after what happened at that crazy house party my first night in Moscow.

"Lila's having this crazy island party," Tanner said. Was that the same party Megan had mentioned earlier, when she had called me?

"You mean on the island with the ruins?" I asked, suddenly skeptical.

"Where else could she possibly host an island party?" Jordan said. "It's gonna be lit and we're all going to have the time of our lives." I sighed. It looked like my mind had already been made up for me. I knew there was no way I could possibly get out of this. I supposed I was going to be dragged to yet another party. Joy.

"It's practically a free-for-all tonight," Tanner added. "As long as you have a boat and can get to the island, you're invited."

"Sounds great and everything but we don't have a boat so there's no point in going," I said, yawning. It looked like that long flight was starting to catch up to me.

"Get that stick out of your ass, will you?" Jordan said. "We have a boat and we're going to the party. One of the guys I work with at Amelia's hooked me up. He said it was super easy to use so I should have no problem getting us there." I was relieved that Jordan, not Tanner, would be operating the boat. Out of the three of us, Tanner was easily the worst driver. I definitely would not trust him to drive a car, let alone operate a boat.

"Great, so now that we got travel plans sorted out, can I unpack?" I asked. Tanner and Jordan just looked at each other.

"Fine," Tanner said, after a moment. "But you better be ready by nine because that's when this party starts."

"Well, Lila said it's officially starting at nine but realistically, things won't start getting lit til nine-thirty," Jordan said.

"Man, I don't even know if I'll make it to nine," I said, trying to hold in another yawn and failing.

"Awake or not, we are dragging your ass over to that party. We'll tie you up and put your sleeping body on the boat if we have to," Tanner said. There was no way they could be serious.

"Dude, this is going to be the sickest party of the summer," Jordan said. "Everyone's going to be there. But if you're gonna keep that stick in your ass and make us miss the party, then go right ahead."

"Fine, we'll go," I said. "But don't expect me to stay awake for much of it. I'm still on Moscow time."

"Oh, please, Moscow and Valancia don't have that much of a time difference," Tanner scoffed. "You're just making excuses to not go."

"The more you keep bitching, the more I think we'll actually have to tie you up and drag your ass to that party," Jordan said.

"In that case, I'd rather give my conscious, willing consent to go," I muttered.

"See?" Jordan said. "Literally all you gotta do is show your face, make a few rounds then you can crash in the boat until Tanner and I are done. We're going H.A.M. tonight."

"Sounds like a decent plan," I said. A few rounds were doable, especially with the promised treat of a nap in the boat after. I was already looking forward to that.

"Perfect, we'll see you at nine," Tanner said, a huge grin on his face.

* * *

**Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Next chapter will be up between August 16 and August 20. **

**There were quite a few foreshadowy bits that I included in this chapter, setting up for Alexei's adventures now that he's back in Adria! You all should know what's coming next chapter ;) **


	7. Chapter 7 -Touch Her Again I'll Kill You

**Hey guys, I hope you've had a great week! I know you've all been eagerly anticipating this iconic chapter. One thing to note about this chapter is Alexei is going to be HELLA pissed so there will be some very strong language. There WILL be an F-bomb in this chapter (the first and only one I'm planning to drop in On the Run, unless I change my mind while editing subsequent chapters), as well as many crude insults. Take a look at the disclaimer and trigger warning section for more info on everything that may cause offense in this chapter.**

* * *

**Gonna reply to reviews on the previous chapter, thanks so much to everyone who reviewed!**

**Guest 1: You can feel free to look it up on Urban Dictionary but it's kinda crude. It basically means "Hard as a [certain word with an F-bomb that will be dropped in this chapter]" :P In an ideal world, I would be able to solely focus on writing, editing, and posting fanfiction chapters. Unfortunately, this is the real world. I understand that it can be frustrating to wait several weeks for a new chapter to come out. I start school again next week so that is going to have to be a priority for the next nine months. However, I did make a posting timeline for this fanfiction so I have a rough idea of when each chapter is going to be posted. I'll include more detail about that in the author's note of the next chapter. **

**Guest 2: That's definitely a valid interpretation. I feel like I did make Alexei more hypocritical and more of an asshole compared to how he is in the original books. It'll be explained more in this chapter and upcoming ones but the way I interpreted it, Alexei is primarily mad at Spence for kissing Grace without her permission and doesn't realize Grace let Spence kiss her until later on. Though one character will call out Alexei for being a hypocrite in this chapter!**

* * *

**Disclaimer****: I do not own the Embassy Row series and all the characters (except for Tanner and Jordan and Alexei's Moscow friends (Roman, Eugene, Josef, and Yulia), who are my own creations). They belong to Ally Carter. I am merely using her characters and plotline to create this fanfiction. This fanfiction is purely for entertainment purposes and would not exist without Ally Carter's wonderful works. **

**The events that happen in this fanfiction are not meant to be representative of real life. Any similarities to any real-life events or fictional works is purely coincidental and not intended by me (with the exception of the original Embassy Row books by Ally Carter since this fanfiction is literally See How They Run but from Alexei's, not Grace's, perspective). The character's actions and opinions may not always reflect my own opinions or views. Based on what happens or is mentioned in this chapter (spoiler alert), I do not condone physical violence, making jokes based on racial stereotypes, or sexual assault (including kissing someone without their consent). **

**Trigger warning****: moderate **

**This fanfiction is rated T, for suggestive themes, language, and violence. This chapter contains extremely strong language (since I literally can't seem to go a chapter without swearing), detailed descriptions of physical violence, offensive banter about racial stereotypes, and mentions of sexual assault. Read at your own discretion.**

* * *

Chapter Seven: Touch Her Again and I'll Kill You

By the time the three of us reached the island, the party was already in full swing. I heard the loud, pounding bass of the hottest new EDM song booming over someone's Bluetooth speakers. I saw a bonfire on the beach, lighting up the night sky. Jordan slowed down as we approached the shoreline, cluttered with dozens of other boats.

"Well, this is as far as we're gonna get," Jordan said, stopping the boat and dropping the anchor. We stepped out of the boat and waded through the waves, towards the island. Much to my relief, no one seemed to notice as the three of us approached the center of the party.

"Welp, so much for making a fashionably late entrance," Tanner muttered.

"Hey, there's always next time," I said, with a shrug.

"Or not," Jordan said, glancing over to his side. "Looks like our entrance is being made right about –" He was interrupted by squealing.

"Alexei! You're back!" I found myself wrapped in yet another bone-crushing hug. Looking down, I realized it was Lila.

"How was Moscow? I missed you so much when you were gone!" Lila said.

"It was good. It was nice getting to see my Moscow friends though I missed everyone back here," I replied politely. Lila smiled at me, although that quickly turned into a frown.

"Why are you back already? I thought you wouldn't be coming back until the end of the summer."

"I was up in Moscow while things were getting sorted out at the embassy. My father was cleared to leave today since everything was figured out. I just got back a few hours ago."

"So the rumours are true then, that changes are happening in the Russian embassy," Lila said, looking at me.

"Yup, our boy is officially the ambassador's son," Tanner said, putting an arm around me and giving me a congratulatory pat on the back. My face momentarily scrunched up in confusion. I hadn't had a chance to tell either of them my father was the new ambassador of the Russian embassy so I had no idea how they would have known.

"Mikhail told us when we stopped by earlier," Jordan added, noting my confusion.

"Tell your dad I said congratulations," Lila said, smiling at me. "That's exciting news. Now you're officially a true embassy kid." Was I not already an embassy kid before? I supposed it was official when your parent became the ambassador.

"Can I talk to you alone for a second?" Lila asked. I warily looked around, noticing that Tanner and Jordan had already made their exit, leaving me alone with Lila. Had they known Lila wanted to talk to me and booked it? I looked around, spotting them with Noah and Megan. I wanted to join them but I'd have to deal with Lila first.

"Sure," I replied, wondering what I had signed myself up for.

Lila led me over to a quiet area of the beach, by a low stone wall before speaking. "Who's that girl in your Snapchat stories?"

"What girl?"

"Don't play dumb with me, Alexei," Lila seethed, her eyes drilling a hole into me. "That short, slutty, blonde girl. You have a thing for blondes, don't you?" Ouch, that stung.

"She's just a friend. I met her at a party and we got along really well. She knows my Moscow friends."

"She looked like more than 'just a friend' to me." There was no way I could lie about this, not to Lila.

"We had a casual thing going on but nothing serious."

"You really are a player, aren't you? Here I thought you were into Grace but then I see you prancing around with some blonde bimbo in Russia." Once again, Lila had trapped me. I didn't know what I could possibly say. My thing with Yulia was just casual and short-term. If anything, she had made me realize just how intense my feelings were for Grace.

"Well, I hope Grace doesn't ever find out about that girl. I never took you for the player type but I guess I was mistaken." With that, Lila walked away, not giving me a chance to respond. Maybe it was better that Lila didn't know I had also hurt Yulia, by letting myself have a casual thing with her while I had feelings for Grace. I had done the exact same thing to both girls, making me feel like an asshole. Hopefully, that wouldn't happen with Grace. No, I wouldn't let that happen with Grace. She meant so much more to me, especially with the long history that we shared. I would never lead her on or play games with her.

I looked around, trying to find Tanner and Jordan. Unfortunately, I didn't see any sign of them nearby. I started making my way back towards the bonfire when a small voice got my attention.

"Alexei? Is that you?" I looked down at the tiny figure beside me.

"Rosemarie, nice to see you here," I said.

"Did you just get back from Moscow?"

"My plane just got in a few hours ago."

"It looked like you had a lot of fun. But not as much as you would have had at my thirteenth birthday party." Right, Rosie's birthday was a few days ago, officially marking her as a teenager. I had seen the pictures on Instagram and all the Snapchat stories.

"I know, I'm sorry I couldn't be there. How's Grace been doing?" Rosie looked down awkwardly, making me suspicious.

"She's been … alright," she started. "We actually got her to talk and she's acting somewhat normal. She's even here at the party tonight." My heart skipped a beat, at the thought of potentially being able to see Grace tonight.

Rosie glanced around, as if looking for something. Her face soon took on a panicked expression. "Well, she was here. Noah told her not to wander off. I was going to grab some drinks for us."

"Or maybe she just doesn't want to be found." If Grace wasn't fine, like everyone had made her out to be, then I wouldn't be surprised if she had run off.

"But where could she possibly run? This is a tiny island." Inadvertently, my gaze flicked to the center of the island, towards the dense forest enclosing the large stone temple.

"Of course, the ruins!" Rosie exclaimed. There was nothing like a mysterious, derelict building to attract Grace's attention, as proven by her journey to the Iranian embassy her first night back. "I've never seen the ruins in person. Can we go check them out and see if Grace is there?" The forest around the ruins were sketchy, even more so at night. I wasn't sure what kind of wildlife lived there or if any dangerous people were hiding out there. I honestly wouldn't have been surprised if the ruins housed another Society base, given how sketchy they both were. I was about to respond when a sudden movement caught my attention.

"Hey, there's Grace!" Rosie exclaimed. I followed her gaze. Sure enough, a girl with a similar build and hair colour was running towards the ruins. It had to be Grace; I didn't know who else it could be. But that was when I realized she wasn't alone. A big, bulky guy followed after her.

"Whoa, who's that?" My attention immediately focused on that guy. He looked super sketchy, immediately putting me on edge.

"Huh. I've never seen him around." Rosie casually shrugged. "Maybe a new embassy kid?"

"I don't know." That guy certainly did not look like a kid to me. He looked dangerous. I wondered if Grace knew she was being followed. I couldn't shake the way that guy had entered the forest after Grace. He looked like a predator stalking his prey, clearly on a mission to find her. I didn't know what he wanted from her, only that it couldn't be anything good.

"We should go find them," Rosie suggested.

"No, Rosemarie. You should stay out on the beach, where it's brighter and safer. The ruins are already dark and sketchy. That man also looks dangerous and I don't want you getting hurt." The smile instantly vanished from Rosie's face. I felt bad for disappointing her, but I didn't want her to get hurt, should there be a murderer hiding in the forest.

"Why don't you grab drinks and snacks?" I offered. "I'll take a quick peek around the ruins to see if Grace is there. Regardless of whether or not she's there, I'll join you at the bonfire after."

"Okay," Rosie said, looking dejected. She started walking towards the food tables. Taking a deep breath, I headed towards the forest. I didn't dare take out my phone and turn on its flashlight, for fear of attracting unwanted attention to myself, especially from that guy. Luckily, the moonlight was bright enough to illuminate the immediately surrounding area. Hopefully, I'd be able to find Grace before that guy did and bring her back to the safety of the beach.

Even though this party was the last place I wanted to be right now, I wouldn't be ready to leave until I found Grace. The thought of potentially see her tonight filled me with a new energy. I needed to see her in person, to make sure she was alive and breathing, even though I knew she would be far from okay, after everything that had happened last week.

I stopped when I heard two voices, one distinctly feminine, the other deeper and more masculine. It sounded like they were having some sort of argument. I slowly edged closer, trying not to step on anything that would alert them to my presence.

"Then why'd you do it?" I froze, as I immediately recognized that voice. Grace, my Gracie. She was here. However, she wasn't alone.

"I don't know. I'm sorry. You're cute and nice and funny and I thought …" I immediately felt anger flaring up inside me. I should have been the one saying those things to Grace. Although I didn't recognize the guy's voice, it had to be that sketchy guy who had followed Grace. I wondered what he was doing with her. Had Grace suddenly gotten a new boyfriend over the past week? It sure sounded like she had.

"Grace, wait up. I'm sorry. I didn't mean –" I suddenly snapped to attention. If this guy had done anything to hurt Grace, physically, mentally, or emotionally, then I was going to protect her. I had to; after all, it was my duty to Jamie and myself.

"Leave her alone," I shouted, as I moved through the trees.

"Alexei?" I looked at Grace, really looked at her, as I took her in for the first time in a week. Her exquisite features, her wonderous spirit. She was everything that Yulia wasn't and everything that I couldn't have. Grace was looking at me in surprise, almost like she didn't believe I was here.

"Hey, Gracie," I said, trying to stay in control of myself. "Who's your friend?" I eyed him, taking in the competition. He was more muscular than me, evident in his bulging biceps, with hair shorn close to his head. He looked like an army cadet. Nothing I couldn't handle.

"Oh, this is John Spencer," Grace said. "Spence is a friend of Jamie's – they just got here from West Point. Spence, this is Alexei. He's –"

"The Russian," Spence interrupted. I immediately tensed up. Had Jamie told this Spence guy about me? It sure sounded like he had, although they must have been bad things.

"Alexei is Jamie's oldest friend," Grace said, awkwardly attempting to smooth things over. Up until a few moments ago, I had considered myself to be Jamie's oldest friend. Now, I wasn't so sure if I could consider Jamie my friend, especially after our awkward texts and phone calls over the past few months. Had he let diplomatic relations dictate his friendships? Maybe this was just a result of the All-American attitude at West Point.

"What are you doing here with her?" I asked Spence, getting straight to the point. As soon as I laid eyes on him, I got weird vibes from him. I had to know if he had hurt Grace in any way. I didn't trust him, especially not around Grace.

"Jamie asked me to come find Gracie, make sure she was okay out here. She wandered off," Spence replied. Did he really think he could call Grace by her nickname? First off, how did he even know Grace's nickname? Secondly, that was a privilege reserved for me and Jamie, one that had to be earned by Grace herself, not given out freely. Who did this guy think he was? Yup, I was definitely right not to trust him.

"She does that."

"Thanks for your concern, comrade, but the lady and I can take care of ourselves."

"Lady?" I yelled. "She is sixteen. She is a child." Grace definitely was not a lady. That term was reserved for older women, like Ms. Chancellor. Not teenagers, like Grace. I didn't know what West Point had drilled into his head but he couldn't automatically call every female a lady. Did he seriously think Grace was mature enough to be around a creep like him?

"Um … no," Grace said awkwardly. "I was perfectly content before either one of you got here."

"Stay out of this, Gracie," I said. Much to my chagrin, I realized Spence had said the exact same thing at the exact same time. This guy was seriously testing my self-control. Just because he went to West Point didn't automatically make him all high-and-mighty.

"I give up," Grace said. She spun on her heels, heading back towards the beach. I easily caught up to her, falling into step beside her.

"Come on, Gracie," I ordered. "I'm taking you home." I knew Tanner and Jordan were going to kill me for forcing them to leave the party early but getting Grace home was my priority. Besides, I wasn't sure how much longer I could stand being at this party, not with a certain asshole around. I needed to get Grace away from him as soon as possible.

"Maybe I don't want to go home! Maybe I don't want _you_ to take me anywhere!"

I sighed, knowing I should have expected Grace to protest. "Gracie, I –"

"What are you doing here, Alexei?"

"I heard Lila was throwing a party. I knew you would likely be here."

"I mean why are you _here_? In Adria. I thought your dad got transferred."

"We are back," I said, with a shrug. I could feel that Spence guy behind us, his presence dampening my mood.

"I can see that."

"My father …" I started, before trailing off. I glanced over at Spence, not wanting him to hear what I was about to say. He had no right or reason to know the private embassy business here in Adria. However, Grace needed to know, even though I didn't want to have this conversation under these circumstances, not with a certain someone a few metres away. I lowered my voice just in case that Spence guy was listening to, or worse, recording, our conversation. "My father is to be the new ambassador. There are to be … changes."

"Oh."

"I should get you home. Or at least back to your brother," I said, taking her hand.

"I can do that. She's not your responsibility," Spence said. Trust him to ruin the intimate moment. Besides, who gave him the authority to be in charge of Grace? Jamie had specifically assigned that duty to me, unless that duty had now been transferred to Spence. Clearly, Jamie didn't trust me as much anymore, not after I had supposedly messed up looking after Grace in his eyes.

"Don't tell me what she is," I said, spinning towards Spence. "I know Gracie better than you ever will."

"Well, you've never kissed me," Grace muttered, under her breath. I suddenly froze. Did Grace say what I thought she said? "But evidently you didn't see that part."

"He kissed you?" I immediately felt a storm of emotions raging inside me. If that Spence guy had kissed Grace, especially without her consent, then there was no telling what I'd do to him.

"Let's go find Jamie!" Grace shouted way too cheerfully, as she bolted for the beach. Clearly, there was something she was trying very hard not to tell me.

"Grace!" Spence yelled, as he took off after her. I quickly followed, managing to outrun him. Unfortunately, Grace was a lot faster than I realized. Nonetheless, I pushed myself to run faster, breaking into a full-out sprint. I felt tree branches scraping my arms but the pain barely registered. I had a bigger end goal in mind. There was no way I'd let that asshole reach her first. I had to make sure she was okay, something that scumbag never bothered with. I finally caught up to her at the tree line.

"He kissed you?" I asked, desperate for a concrete answer. I could feel anger and rage starting to cloud my mind, creating a tempest that would take a miracle to quell.

"I'm fine!" Grace shouted, the words coming out wrong. In that second, I knew. That motherfucker had kissed her without her consent and hurt her, more than I ever would have. In my books, that counted as sexual assault, any form of which was not okay. That bastard had no right to do that to Grace and he was going to pay for it.

The moment that Spence emerged from the forest, my control snapped, unleashing that storm of anger and rage. I turned around and punched him hard in the side of his face. I put so much power into it, more than I would have dared if I was sparring with my father or Mikhail. It was enough to knock that asshole to the ground. For a moment, I thought I had knocked him out cold. Yet, I should have known better than to think I could take out an army cadet so easily.

Spence quickly recovered, lunging for my legs. Before I knew it, I was knocked down to the ground. I felt the impact, sending a jolt of pain through my body. That didn't stop me from fighting back though. I punched Spence hard in the eyebrow. He retaliated by socking me in the face. Flares of agony shot through my eye.

"What the hell?!" I muttered, as stars danced in front of my eyes, especially my right eye.

"That's what you get for picking fights with strangers," Spence snarled, as he socked me again, this time in the jaw. I felt the impact, sending twinges of pain throughout my entire head. It didn't feel forceful enough to break my jaw but I knew it would leave a nasty bruise.

"Bet they don't teach you Russians to stay away from West Point cadets," Spence said, as he kicked me hard in the shin. This bastard was seriously getting on my nerves, trying to assert his superiority just because he went to West Point.

"Well, at least they teach us how to respect women," I growled, flipping us over so that Spence was on the bottom. Spence rolled us over again, pushing me down onto the ground hard. A sharp, stabbing ache ran through my forehead as I rolled over a stick.

I managed to pummel him in the gut as we continued rolling along the beach. Spence grunted in discomfort. "Why the hell are you Russians so barbaric?"

"We wouldn't have to be if you Americans weren't so idiotic," I retorted, unable to stop myself from keeping my mouth shut. Obviously offended by my comment, Spence hit me hard with a backhand punch. I hit the ground but quickly stood up. As Spence came running at me, I spun around, kicking him hard in the ribs, making him double over. He came back at me again with another punch, sending us rolling, dangerously close to the bonfire. The flames grazed my arm but I ignored the burning sensation. I was suddenly grateful for all the times my father had hit me too hard during sparring or tackled me to the ground, only to force me back into the fight. He had inadvertently prepared me for this moment, where I wouldn't be going down until I was dead.

I vaguely heard someone yelling at us to stop but I ignored it, landing another roundhouse kick in Spence's side. He lunged for me, tackling me down to the ground. I landed hard but rolled back up, forcing myself through the pain. This fight was far from over. I only saw red and could only think about the need to punch the life out of Spence. There was no way he would walk away unscathed from hurting Grace.

I lunged for Spence, letting out a string of Russian curses. I cursed him for even daring to lay a finger on Grace, calling him something much worse than any English curses could. I condemned him to eternal damnation, for hurting Grace. He could rot in hell for all I cared. It seemed like an appropriate punishment for what he had done.

Spence moved out of my reach. I stopped for a moment, gathering up the strength to tackle him hard, with a running start. I bolted towards Spence at top speed, ready to shove him hard into the ground, where he belonged, when I suddenly felt strong arms around my waist, pulling me back.

"Let me go!" I shouted, pushing against the arms. I still wasn't done with Spence yet, in fact, far from it. I heard an all-too familiar laugh and turned to meet my captor's eyes.

"It's good to see you too, buddy. I heard you were in Moscow," Jamie said, way too easily. I couldn't believe he was acting like we were still the best of friends.

"I'm back," I growled. I would deal with Jamie later. I still had so much more I wanted to do to Spence. I lunged for him, landing yet another forceful punch to his lip.

"Control your dog, Blake," Spence shouted, spitting blood into the fire. I lunged for him again, ripping free from Jamie's arms. If he was going to keep insulting me, then I would keep beating the shit out of him until he learned his lesson. However, I was quickly stopped by another pair of arms, weaker but still holding me back, forcing me towards Jamie.

"Stop it!" Grace's voice sounded from somewhere very close behind me. I suddenly realized she was the one holding me back. I relented, no longer trying to force myself out of her arms. There was no way I could do so, not without hurting her in the process. And hurting Grace was the last thing I would ever do.

"Both of you," Grace continued, staring down Spence. "You're causing a scene." Something inside of me suddenly snapped. How much had everyone seen? It didn't matter though; I still wasn't finished with Spence and he needed to know who he was dealing with.

"Touch her again, and I will kill you," I shouted, shoving my pointed finger right in his face. "Do you hear me? I'll kill you!" After all, he was the one who had started this shit in the first place by thinking it'd be a fantastic idea to kiss Grace without her consent. He was the whole reason why I had gotten dragged into this fight. He needed to know that if he ever dared to lay even one finger on Grace again, he would never see the end of it. I would do so much worse to him if he ever tried to hurt Grace again, whether it was physically, mentally, or emotionally.

"Hey!" Grace pulled on my arm, forcing me to look her in the eye. "Stop, Alexei. It's over." Her words had unlocked something in me. Just as quickly as it came on, the storm of emotions disappeared. I felt my mind clearing up, rational thoughts coming to the forefront again. And then I realized just how much of a scene I must have caused, as I registered the crowd of teenagers huddled around, phones whipped out to record every second of the action.

Suddenly, I was grabbed by the arm. I turned to find Jamie pulling me towards the beach, away from the curious crowd of on-lookers.

"What is going on?" Jamie asked in a menacing tone of voice. I just glared at him.

"I saw him follow Grace to the ruins," I said. Jamie's attention suddenly turned to his younger sister.

"You went to the ruins?" Jamie asked, incredulous.

"And when I found them, he was all over her," I continued, getting back to the main issue at hand. Grace wandering off to some mysterious building was the least of our worries, compared to someone who had blatantly committed sexual assault. As Jamie realized the implications of my words, his face darkened. He spun and walked towards Spence.

"That is my kid sister," Jamie said.

"It was harmless," Spence said. He laughed, like this was all one big joke to him. That slimebag.

"She's sixteen."

"She seems pretty mature to me." Jamie didn't say anything; instead, he just hit Spence hard, right in the face, something I wished I could do again. If that shithead hadn't already realized what a bad idea it was to kiss Grace, maybe he would finally see it now.

To my surprise, Spence didn't hit Jamie back. He just looked at Jamie, bringing a finger to his bloody lip, like he was finally giving up. Jamie stepped closer to Spence, murmuring something that I was unable to make out. Then he spoke up, almost shouting.

"Touch my sister again and _he_ won't get a chance. I will kill you myself," Jamie said. I was mildly disappointed that I wouldn't be getting another chance at Spence if he hurt Grace again. However, I truly admired how Jamie was willing to stand up for Grace.

Unfortunately, those feelings of admiration quickly disappeared as Jamie turned to glare at me. "That goes for you too."

"This isn't over," I said. I wasn't quite done with Spence, not yet. And now, I had a whole new can of worms to discuss with Jamie. And Grace, well, I was never going to be done with her.

Jamie turned towards Grace. "We're leaving." Based on his tone of voice, it was evident that Grace was going home now, no matter how much anyone was going to protest. Spence smirked at me, like he had won. However, I wasn't going to go down so easily, not without another fight. But as Spence started towards the shoreline, following behind Jamie and Grace, Jamie blocked him, anger flaring in his eyes.

"Find your own way home."

* * *

**Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Next chapter will be up between August 23 and August 27. What do you think will happen next?**

**I hope I did this chapter justice in Alexei's POV, since it's such a critical moment from the original books. I ended up rewriting large sections of this chapter since I realized it didn't fit with what happens in the original books or because I wasn't happy with it. **

**Also, how did you feel about Alexei's language in this chapter? When I started writing the Embassy Row series in Alexei's POV, I told myself I wouldn't use any F-bombs (to try to keep it T-rated). But then I decided to drop one in this chapter during rewrites/edits and a few more in Take the Key and Lock Her Up in Alexei's POV (since I've stopped caring as much about keeping it clean and because I do swear a bit in real life :P). Let me know what you think because I don't want to offend anyone! **


	8. Chapter 8 - Man to Man

**Hey guys, I hope you've had a great week! Read on to find out what happens after the Spence/Alexei fight (at least my interpretation of it)!**

* * *

**Gonna reply to reviews on the previous chapter, thanks so much to everyone who reviewed!**

**Guest: Thank you! Glad that you enjoyed the chapter and thought the swearing wasn't too extreme!**

* * *

**Disclaimer****: I do not own the Embassy Row series and all the characters (except for Tanner and Jordan and Alexei's Moscow friends (Roman, Eugene, Josef, and Yulia), who are my own creations). They belong to Ally Carter. I am merely using her characters and plotline to create this fanfiction. This fanfiction is purely for entertainment purposes and would not exist without Ally Carter's wonderful works. **

**The events that happen in this fanfiction are not meant to be representative of real life. Any similarities to any real-life events or fictional works is purely coincidental and not intended by me (with the exception of the original Embassy Row books by Ally Carter since this fanfiction is literally See How They Run but from Alexei's, not Grace's, perspective). The character's actions may not always reflect my own opinions or views. Based on what happens in this chapter (spoiler alert), I do not condone physical violence. **

**Trigger warning: mild  
****This fanfiction is rated T, for suggestive themes, language, and violence. This chapter contains moderate language (since I literally can't seem to go a chapter without swearing), mild physical violence, and mentions of mild sexual assault. Read at your own discretion.**

* * *

Chapter Eight: Man to Man

I watched as Grace followed Jamie into their boat. I was tempted to follow, to make sure Grace made it home okay, although Jamie probably wasn't going to take to me boarding their boat too kindly. Besides, Tanner and Jordan were my ride home. I just had to find them, hopefully before Spence found them and told them to head off without me. They wouldn't do that though. Tanner and Jordan would wait for me then bugger off as soon as I found them, leaving Spence to find his own way home.

I started doing laps of the shoreline, looking for Tanner and Jordan. All around me, there were kids boarding boats, getting ready to head back home. I was met with quite a few surprised glances, although no one dared to say a word to me. I wasn't entirely surprised though. I was known for being the calm, level-headed one on Embassy Row. I was the person who mediated fights, not initiated them. It must have been quite a shock to all the other kids, seeing that wild, animalistic side of me. If I had been a bystander, I would have been scared of me too.

I started yet another lap of the shoreline. By now, the bonfire had been extinguished and the beach was back in order, showing no signs of a secret island party. The only indication that something had happened was the blood that stained the sand. I couldn't tell if it was mine or Spence's.

As I walked, I didn't run into Tanner or Jordan. Come to think of it, I didn't run into _anyone._ Had everyone already left? I could try searching the forest but that was more dangerous than staying on the beach. As I completed that last lap, a sinking feeling settled in my gut, telling me that everyone already had left. I couldn't believe Tanner and Jordan had left me behind on this island, with no cell service, Wi-Fi, running water, washrooms, or any obvious way of leaving. The island was 3.6 miles from Valancia, which would be a tough but manageable swim. However, I didn't want to risk getting my phone wet or losing course and getting even more lost, thanks to the choppy waves and the rough current that separated this island from Valancia. That would not be fun to explain to my father.

I sat down on the beach, taking a moment to cool down. My mother had left me all those years ago, to a cruel and heartless father. Now, my friends had left me, completely on my own, to this barren island. Surely, they would realize they had left me behind and come back for me, if not tonight, then tomorrow morning, when my father would start wondering where I was. They weren't going to leave me here forever, to die, would they? Although I tried to focus on the positive, a small part of my mind couldn't help but wander to the day my mother had left. I remembered waking up each morning with newfound hope, wondering if that was going to be the day my mother would come back. Yet, as time went on and my mother stayed gone, that hope diminished until it turned into resentment and anger. I wasn't going to be left behind for a second time, would I?

I wasn't going to let myself mope any longer. When my mother left, I was an innocent child who didn't know any better, who didn't know just how cruel the world could be. Now, I knew the only person I could rely on was myself. If no one was going to come for me, then I would have to find my own way back to Valancia. Surely, there had to be some other way to leave the island. Maybe I could fashion a raft out of leaves and branches, like in movies. Even then, I highly doubted it would work. Besides, I probably wasn't in any shape to build a raft right now. I couldn't really see out of my right eye and my arm burned, where it touched the fire. My whole body was aching, even more than after sparring with my father, and I couldn't imagine how many cuts and bruises I'd wake up with tomorrow. I could deal with my escape plan tomorrow morning, after getting some rest. Surely, I could handle one night of roughing it on the beach.

I suddenly heard a noise behind me. I immediately stood up and turned around, bracing myself for whatever it was that had made the noise. Except it wasn't a what, but a who.

"Spence?" I asked, taking in the figure walking out of the forest. It had to be him, if his bloody, bruised body was any indication.

"Yeah, that's me," Spence said. He looked up at me and his eyes widened, when he realized who I was.

"Oh my god, you're the Russian. You're the one who started shit tonight," Spence said, his words laced with venom.

"Yeah, that's me," I replied, echoing Spence's words, right down to his cocky attitude.

"Honestly man, what the hell was that for? Are you Russians really that crazy? I just kissed –"

"And that was where you made a fatal mistake," I hissed, my self-control snapping. Without thinking rationally, I grabbed Spence by the collar of his shirt and pinned him against a nearby tree. "Nobody gets away with hurting Grace like that. Not without facing me."

"Dude, chill out, Blake already made that more than clear."

"Blake?" I momentarily faltered, loosening my grip on Spence ever so slightly. He took that opportunity to push me back, almost knocking me off my feet. Not wanting to give in so easily, I redoubled my efforts and forced him back against the tree.

"Jamie. Besides, won't he just beat you up too if you hurt Grace?"

"See, that's the difference between you and I. I would never dare to hurt Grace. I cannot say the same about you." I looked Spence right in the eye, daring him to go against me.

"Oh, come on, it was just one kiss!"

"That was one kiss too many." I still couldn't believe that Spence had kissed Grace without her permission, even though he barely knew her. What kind of a creep was he?

Realization dawned in Spence's eyes as he looked at me. "Oh, man, you like her, don't you?" I stayed silent, not giving anything away. My feelings for Grace were none of his business.

"You definitely like her. No wonder you started shit," Spence continued.

"I was trying to protect her!"

"And you thought punching me in the face was a great way to do so."

"I was angry. You should know not to mess with a pissed-off Russian."

"Hey, lesson learned, buddy. I'm sorry for kissing Grace. It won't happen again. Happy?" Spence said, holding up his hands in defeat.

"I'm not done yet. I'm only just getting started," I seethed. I wasn't going to forgive him so easily. "You followed her into the forest, hoping to get in her pants. I saw you. From the moment you met Grace, you didn't want anything good from her."

"What else was I supposed to do?"

"I don't know, maybe _stay the hell away from her_?" I couldn't help but narrow my eyes at him as I said that. He really should have known better than to get involved with Grace.

"That applies to you too. Blake said so himself."

"Oh please, I've known Gracie her entire life. You only just met her. You don't get to tell me what I can do with her."

"Blake can." Okay fine, this Spence guy had a point. But Jamie had left Grace to _me_, while he was at West Point finishing up his semester. Technically, I could do whatever I wanted with her, as long as she was safe and out of harm's way.

"Jamie is staying out of this for the moment. This is between you and me. Grace knows and trusts me. I've proven that time and time again to her. I can't understand why you were idiotic enough to try to gain her trust, even for a second. I've gotten nothing but bad vibes from you, ever since I first saw you follow Grace into the forest."

"Wow, I'm honoured to hear that you think so highly of me, comrade," Spence sneered sarcastically. It took everything I had in me not to punch him in the face again. He was really testing my patience. "Maybe if you'd given me a chance, like Grace did, then you'll see I'm not as bad as you make me out to be."

"Any hope you had at gaining my respect was lost when I found out you kissed Grace without her consent," I seethed, through clenched teeth. Why Grace decided to give this idiot a chance was beyond me.

"Oh, come on, like you haven't done that too, if not to Grace, then to another girl," Spence retorted. I took a deep breath, willing myself not to lose all self-control. I didn't want to think about the foolish things I had done in the past, like that hot tub make-out with Yulia and the guilt I felt after.

Spence smirked. He had gotten me and he knew it. "See. You think you're so noble but you're not exactly squeaky clean either."

"Okay fine. So I've done some things that I'm not proud of. But everyone makes mistakes; I sure did. I'm reluctant to call what you did a mistake though."

"Get off your high horse, will you? I'd tell you that I felt awful after kissing Grace, that I realized I shouldn't have done it. I'd tell you that I profusely apologized to her and wished I hadn't done it in the first place but I don't think you'd be willing to listen." I had heard him apologize to Grace. I wasn't sure if that was contrived or if he genuinely felt sorry. After all, he sure as hell didn't feel sorry for beating me up. Then again, he didn't have anything to feel sorry for. I was the one who had initiated the fight. He just had the misfortune of being the person my anger was directed towards.

"Fine," I grunted, deciding to give Spence the benefit of the doubt.

"What, are you really going to let me off the hook that easily?" Spence gave me a questioning look. I didn't blame him, especially after all the shit I had thrown in his face.

"If I'm going to be frank, it's getting late and I'm tired of arguing with you," I stated.

"Okay, whatever you say. Now will you mind putting me down?" I released Spence, almost throwing him to the ground. He landed with a rather satisfying thud.

"What the hell was that for?" Spence exclaimed, as he stood up and dusted sand off himself.

"You said it yourself earlier; don't mess with a pissed-off Russian," I said, with a hint of a smirk.

"I think I've figured that out now," Spence said, sounding slightly exasperated. As he leaned forward to retie his shoe, I noticed a medallion on a leather cord hanging from his neck. As the moonlight reflected off the medallion, I instantly recognized the symbol engraved on it.

"Hey, cool necklace. Where'd you get it?" I asked, trying not to sound suspicious.

"My grandmother gave it to me. She said it'd lead me to buried treasure. She's Adrian and told me if I ever came to Adria, I should try to find that buried treasure."

"You came all the way to Adria, just to find buried treasure?" I couldn't help but be skeptical, questioning his credibility. Here was this grown military man, acting like a child in search for buried treasure. That made it difficult for me to take him seriously. Besides, I had stopped believing in fairy tales and myths long ago, having learned that reality was cruel from a young age, thanks to my mother's disappearance or imprisonment or whatever the hell she did.

Spence just shrugged. "Figured it wouldn't hurt to give it a shot. Blake was coming over here anyways, to visit his sister. He extended an invitation to me. I didn't have any other summer plans so I figured I'd come. You think the ruins would contain any buried treasure? I found them earlier, when I was with Grace." I immediately tensed up at the mention of Grace. Of course he had to rub it in. How on Earth he managed to find the ruins with Grace was beyond me. For all I knew, he could have just been making things up, to egg me on.

"I wouldn't know. I wasn't the one who found the ruins with Grace," I shot back.

"Weren't you the one who just said you were tired of arguing?" Spence looked at me, almost like he was looking to start another fight. "Because I can start shit just as easily as you did."

"Fine, fine," I said, holding my hands up in surrender. As much as I didn't want to, I was going to have to behave myself if I wanted to get off the island and make it through the rest of the night without incurring another injury.

"Well, I'm heading over to the ruins whether you're coming or not. We're here anyways and we're not getting off anytime soon so there's no harm in looking," Spence said. He glanced at me before heading into the trees, in the direction of the ruins. I sighed then followed after him. Even though I didn't care for his company, I wasn't going to sit lamely by myself on the beach. There was safety in numbers, especially since I had no idea what happened on this island at night. More than anything, I just hoped the ruins contained a raft or boat so we could leave. Or even some life jackets, to make the swim back to Valancia easier.

We walked through the forest in silence, our phone flashlights lighting the way. The only sounds were the crunching of our feet over the vines on the forest floor. I smiled to myself as Spence swore a few times, his feet getting tangled in the undergrowth. For a military man, even one in training, he sure wasn't very steady on his feet.

Before long, we reached the ruins. I hadn't seen them earlier and wouldn't have had time to appreciate them anyways, thanks to a certain dire situation. It was hard to fully take them in, thanks to the darkness and the minimal moonlight shining through the thick cover of the trees. From what I could gather, the ruins looked like they used to be some kind of temple or fortress. Yet over time, it slowly started crumbling, creating something broken but hauntingly beautiful. Like Grace.

"Pretty cool, huh?" Spence said, looking over at me. "Wanna help me find a way in?" I nodded, stepping forward to join him, not that I wanted to be helping him. I figured that if we worked together, we'd be able to find an entrance faster and hopefully, get back to Valancia faster.

Together, we searched for an entrance. Spence took charge in pushing aside the vines covering the ruins while I held up our phone flashlights for him and kept track of which parts we had already searched. Eventually, we found a small, narrow opening. It wasn't much but we hadn't seen anything else that looked remotely like an entrance. I glanced at Spence, who nodded in agreement.

"After you," Spence said, holding the vines aside for me. Of course he'd make me go through first. If anything, or anyone, were to attack us, then I would be the first in line. I should have known that Spence would try to get back at me somehow. So much for hoping I could sacrifice him if needed. It looked like I was going to be the sacrificial lamb.

I walked in through the opening to find a stone passageway. I heard Spence's footsteps behind me, glad that he had actually followed me instead of leaving me to who knows what. Without our phone flashlights, the passageway would have been completely dark. I took a deep breath, forcing myself to calm down. This felt like something straight out of a horror movie, with cracked walls and a damp floor. I kept expecting something or someone to jump out at us as we walked.

Suddenly, the passageway opened up into a large chamber. I spotted several stone urns and stone pedestals lying on the dusty stone floor. The thing that attracted my attention the most was a wide staircase at the far end of the chamber, the only promising escape route. I made my way towards it but quickly stopped when I realized that Spence wasn't following me. Rather, he was a bit preoccupied with examining the urns.

"Really, man?" I asked.

"What? There could be buried treasure inside these," Spence said, looking into one of the urns.

"I'm pretty sure that whoever hid buried treasure here, if it even exists, wouldn't have hidden it so close to the entrance," I reasoned.

"I suppose that's true," Spence said. I motioned towards the wide staircase. Spence followed me, although he longingly glanced back at the urns. We walked down the staircase to another room, filled with even more urns and stone pedestals.

"Look, more urns. Happy?" I asked dryly. Spence just rolled his eyes.

"Hey, there are cool things on the ceiling," Spence said, his phone flashlight aimed up. I followed his gaze, barely able to make out a tiny image. It looked like it had been painted on the ceiling ages ago. We kept walking on, only to find a massive wall.

"Damn, is this it?" Spence asked.

"I guess so," I replied, running my phone flashlight across the wall. "Looks like there's no way out or buried treasure." If this was it for the ruins, then I had just wasted an hour of my life trying to find a way off the island. Surely, someone had to notice that I was gone and would send a boat back to the island tomorrow morning, to find me. There was no way I could end up stuck on this island forever.

"Oh, come on, there's gotta be buried treasure," Spence said, kicking the wall. "I didn't come all the way here for nothing."

"Well, it looks like you're out of luck," I replied tersely. "Let's head back to the beach and find somewhere to crash for the night."

"No way, I know there's buried treasure here. I can feel it." Spence started pushing on the wall at various places. I sighed as I watched Spence. I wasn't going to just walk out of here and leave him alone. I didn't want to spend the night alone on this slightly creepy island, where anything could possibly attack me. It was nice to have some human company, even if he was my mortal sworn enemy.

I suddenly heard something sliding. A second later, the floor started shaking. I braced myself, watching in awe as the wall moved, revealing a large, dark cavern.

"Oh my god, was it just me or did that wall just freaking _move_?" Spence exclaimed, as he stared wide-eyed at the cavern.

"I think that wall did just move. I don't know how but I'm not going to question it," I said. I was too tired to process what had just happened and how that was even humanly possible, deciding to just roll with it. I slowly stepped towards the cavern, Spence at my heels. I shined my phone flashlight into the room and almost gasped when my light hit the ceiling.

"Is that… is that… treasure?" Spence asked, in disbelief. The images depicted a cavern filled with piles of jewels in chests, like something straight out of a pirate story. I looked around, trying to find said chests. However, I came up empty-handed. I just shrugged it off, my brain far too tired and jet-lagged to put the pieces together.

"Yo, where's this treasure?" Spence asked, spinning around on the spot, desperately trying to find the piles of jewels depicted in the ceiling images.

"I guess they're just trolling us," I said, trying to stifle a yawn but failing.

"They can't be. It has to be here somewhere," Spence argued, as he focused his phone flashlight on an image of an emerald in the ceiling.

"Why don't we just call it a night and head back out to the beach? We can always try again tomorrow if we're still stuck here." I tried my best to sound rational but Spence wasn't having any of it.

"Come on, we're so close to finding buried treasure! Would it hurt you to act happy?"

"I don't know, man, something just feels really sketchy about this." I once again started getting that nervous feeling in my stomach, where it felt like something really bad was going to happen.

"Chill out, will you? What could possibly go wrong?"

"Like –" I started before I heard it. A faint scraping noise. I turned around to find the wall moving again. Spence flicked his light beam away from the ruby in the ceiling he was admiring and bolted towards the wall. I quickly followed him. However, it was too late. The wall slid into place with a click, locking Spence and I in the cavern.

* * *

**Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Next chapter will be up between Sept. 9 and Sept. 13. **

**How's that for a cliffhanger ending? Unfortunately, you guys will be left with that for a couple weeks. This is the last chapter I'll be posting before school starts again, which is a bigger priority for me. So there will be less frequent updates, ranging from 2 weeks to over a month (but not more than 2 months) between chapters. Thanks for being understanding; you can feel free to message me if you have any questions. I'll see you in a couple weeks with the next chapter :)**


	9. Chapter 9 - Give Me a Reason

**Hey guys, I hope you've had a great few weeks and start to your September! School started up for me again, effectively throwing me full-force into studying again, without any sort of transition period. I had my first midterms of the year, which I passed! I hope you all had a good transition back into school.**

* * *

**Gonna reply to reviews on the previous chapter, thanks so much to everyone who reviewed!**

**Lililithia: Aww thank you, I'm glad you've been enjoying my fanfictions!**

**Potato: My apologies for posting this chapter a bit late (depending on time zones). I kinda procrastinated on editing this chapter after my midterms were done and got caught up with studying again right away. But I told myself I'd get it up this week; otherwise, it would have been pushed to next week. I hope this chapter finds you well!**

* * *

**Disclaimer****: I do not own the Embassy Row series and all the characters (except for Tanner and Jordan and Alexei's Moscow friends (Roman, Eugene, Josef, and Yulia), who are my own creations). They belong to Ally Carter. I am merely using her characters and plotline to create this fanfiction. This fanfiction is purely for entertainment purposes and would not exist without Ally Carter's wonderful works. **

**The events that happen in this fanfiction are not meant to be representative of real life. Any similarities to any real-life events or fictional works is purely coincidental and not intended by me (with the exception of the original Embassy Row books by Ally Carter since this fanfiction is literally See How They Run but from Alexei's, not Grace's, perspective). The character's actions may not always reflect my own opinions or views. Based on what happens in this chapter (spoiler alert), I do not condone physical violence and breaking into private property. **

**Trigger warning****: moderate  
****This fanfiction is rated T, for suggestive themes, language, and violence. This chapter (spoiler alert) contains mild to moderate language (since I literally can't seem to go a chapter without swearing), depictions of violence, and attempted murder. Read at your own discretion.**

* * *

Chapter Nine: Give Me a Reason

I stared at the wall in horror, not fully comprehending what had just happened. Spence vehemently pushed on the wall, in an attempt to get it open. Unlike earlier, the wall stayed firmly in place, not budging a single inch.

"Thanks, man, now you've trapped us into a cavern in the middle of some sketchy ruins," Spence said, the bitterness evident in his voice.

"Me?!" I exclaimed, trying hard not to let anger get the better of me and failing miserably. "You were the one who wouldn't stop admiring those images on the ceiling!"

"Well, you were the one who just waltzed in here like everything was perfectly fine!"

"For the record, I had no idea that wall was going to close on us." Spence stayed silent, not able to argue against my logic. I was right and we both knew it; there was no way either of us could have known the wall could and would close on its own.

"Well, now what?" I asked. We were basically trapped in the depths of the ruins, without cell signal or any other way of contacting the outside world. That did not sound like a great way to die.

"I don't know. I thought you were the big, bad Russian. Besides, you were the one who got us into this room in the first place. Shouldn't you be the one getting us out?" Spence retorted. My self-control snapped and I punched Spence hard. He immediately got me back with an uppercut. Before I could fully comprehend what was going on, I found myself grappling with Spence again. It was like the fight on the beach, except we weren't fighting for an audience anymore. This was much more personal, bred out of pure contempt for each other. Our moves were less showy, getting straight to the point. We weren't looking to impress the fans anymore. No, now, we were just doling out damage.

I made a move to throw Spence down onto the ground. However, he pulled me down with him, sending us both towards the dusty cavern floor. I hit the ground hard, knocking my head. I instantly started feeling dizzy, stars dancing before my eyes. Nonetheless, I forced myself through the pain, managing to roll us over so that I was on top. Spence caught me by surprise though, kneeing me in the chest. I doubled over in pain and felt myself being rolled over so that I was, once again, on the bottom. That bastard. I wasn't going down without a fight though. We kept grappling on the ground, rolling over numerous times across the cavern floor. At one point, I thought I heard a muted thud, like something falling out of someone's pocket. I really hoped it wasn't my phone, even though my phone was useless out here anyways.

As Spence rolled us over yet again, I suddenly noticed a dark expanse of black on my right. I belatedly realized that the only reason Spence and I rolled so well was because we were traveling downhill. I noticed the ground suddenly dropping sharply, not far from where we were. Acting out of instinct, I dug as much of my body as I could into the dirt floor, trying to gain traction before we slid down into the dark depths of the ruins. Spence seemed to notice what I was doing and suddenly stood up. Caught by surprise, I slid a bit further. I felt my feet slipping off the edge of the cliff, dangling in mid-air. I dug my nails into the dirt floor, hoping to stay put before I slid even more. Spence took hold of my wrists, kneeling down in front of me.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't push you off the edge of this cliff," Spence hissed. I stared up at him in surprise. He wouldn't actually do that, would he? I quickly realized I was wrong when Spence pushed me further down the dirt floor and off the cliff edge.

"Come on, big boy, one good reason," Spence repeated.

"I –" I started before a stark realization hit me.

"Can't think of anything?" Spence pushed me even further. By now, my legs and waist were dangling entirely in mid air. It wouldn't be long before I plummeted into who knows what. Most likely to my death, in an endless oblivion.

"Look, there isn't a reason why you shouldn't push me off this cliff," I pleaded. "I'm sorry for getting into a fight with you over Grace and for getting us trapped in this hellhole. I've had a rough day. I just got back from Moscow today and I'm jet-lagged, crabby, and tired as hell. So you can imagine that I over-reacted when I saw you with Grace earlier." Everything that had happened earlier in the day, in Moscow, seemed like a lifetime ago. It was hard to believe my day started off really chill, eating lunch with my Moscow friends and playing football with them in Gorky Park, before hearing my father's important news and having to say goodbye to Yulia. And things had escalated even further, reuniting with my Adria friends then fighting Spence over Grace. And now here I was, one wrong move away from falling to my death. What a day.

"Over-reacting would be an understatement, buddy," Spence said, pushing me ever so slightly more off the cliff edge. I tried not to think about how much of my body was now dangling in the air and how precariously close I was to falling.

"I know, and I'm sorry," I begged. "I was only trying to protect Grace but I guess that backfired. So for all intents and purposes, you have every reason to push me off this cliff. Look, whatever happened on this island stays on this island. If we ever make it out of here alive, then I'll back off from Grace. We start fresh and forget that these fights ever happened. Does that sound good?" It pained me to say that about Grace. Being in Moscow, far away from her, only caused me to hurt another girl. Forcing myself to stay away from her now that I was back in Adria was going to cause me a whole new level of pain. I didn't want to stay away from Grace. But Jamie had told both of us to and now I was promising this guy I would, so that we would stop fighting.

Spence seemed to consider my words for a moment, then he reluctantly looked down at me. "I think we got a deal."

He pulled me back up, so that I was no longer dangling over the cliff edge. I gingerly stood up and dusted myself off. I was absolutely covered in dirt and dust and my body was aching all over. Starting another fight with Spence definitely had not been a good idea.

"We good?" I asked, looking Spence in the eye.

"Yup, we're good." Spence stepped towards me, giving me a guy hug.

"Cool. So are we going to find a way to get off this island or what?" I asked, as Spence and I stepped away from the guy hug. I wasn't sure where we stood now, or if Spence would betray me but it was nice to not be fighting with him.

"Yup. I sure as hell don't wanna spend the rest of my life here. You think both of us pushing on the wall would work?"

"One way to find out." We made our way back to the wall. However, as we started pushing on it, it was evident that the wall didn't open from this side. It was made from a completely different, much harder material, making it impossible to move. Even with our combined strengths, the wall refused to budge.

"Well, I guess that was a total bust," Spence said, after a few failed moments of pushing on the wall. "Let's hope we're not gonna die here. No offence, but I really don't want to spend my last moments with you."

"Same here, buddy," I echoed, my lips twisting up ever so slightly in a smirk. No matter how different we were, it was mildly comforting to know we had that in common.

"There's gotta be a way out though. There has to be," Spence said, glancing around. I reached for the pocket with my phone and was relieved to see that my phone hadn't fallen out during my scuffle with Spence. I clicked into the flashlight app. I slowly panned the beam of light around the cavern, looking for anything that we could have missed earlier. As I panned around the cavern a second time, I suddenly spotted something by the far side of the cliff edge. A staircase. It looked really old and unstable but it was a staircase, nonetheless.

"Bro, that is the sketchiest looking staircase I've ever seen," Spence said, following my gaze.

"Tell me about it. What do you say, do we risk that sketchy staircase or wait here until someone realizes we're missing and comes to find us?"

"I don't care what you think, I am definitely taking my chances with that sketchy staircase. Anything to get out of this place." Spence walked towards the staircase, stepping onto it without hesitation. I followed him seconds later, without really thinking about it. If that staircase was going to be our ticket out of here, then I didn't want to stay trapped here alone while Spence walked out as a free man. Besides, there was safety in numbers and now that Spence and I had sort of made up, I figured being in his company wouldn't be so bad.

As we walked down, following an endless spiral, it became colder, a clear indication that we were heading further underground. I almost envied Spence with his jacket as I was shivering in just my t-shirt and shorts.

"You like my jacket?" Spence asked, stopping on the staircase and turning around to face me. He had a slight smirk on his face and I realized I must have been staring. Damn it.

"Yeah, it looks warm," I commented. I suddenly noticed the lettering on the jacket.

"Is that Jamie's?" I asked, realizing for the first time that the name on the sleeve was 'James Blakely' and not 'John Spencer'.

"Yeah, we share clothes all the time. Don't all guys do that?"

"My friends and I don't," I replied, thinking of Tanner's flashy, extravagant suits and Jordan's band tees and ripped jeans. Our senses of style were far too different for us to share clothes. Spence gave me a funny look but didn't say anything else.

The air down here was really fresh. Come to think of it, it almost smelled like rain. That was when I heard the low, rumbling hum and realized there was a river running along the bottom of the massive cavern.

"How much would I have to pay you to drink some of that water?" Spence asked, looking down at the river.

"To be honest, if that water didn't look so deadly, I'd be drinking it by the mouthful," I admitted. The water itself was black and probably contaminated but at this point, I was so thirsty I would drink anything.

"I'd have to agree with you there. I should have gotten some of the free booze while I could at the party."

"Dude, this is Adria, not West Point. We can't afford to have alcohol at our parties."

"Are you guys really afraid of getting busted for a little underage drinking?" Spence taunted. I simply shrugged.

"There's way too much at stake here, with diplomatic relations and all."

"Man, you embassy kids really need to lighten up," Spence muttered, shaking his head. We stepped off the stairs onto a solid stone floor. We were right up against the bank of the river, on a narrow path that was barely wide enough for one person. We slowly started shuffling along, keeping an eye on our steps. One wrong move and either of us would end up in the river, flowing away to who knows where. There were a couple instances where I almost lost my footing, as we walked along the river-side path. Spence actually did lose his footing at one point and would have fallen in, if I hadn't been quick enough to grab him.

We slowly wound our way into a tunnel in the middle of a mountain, ceremoniously marked by a large, ominous opening, using the river as a rough guide. However, the river eventually ran away from us, leaving us on our own to weave our way through the network of caves. It almost reminded me of the secret tunnels under Valancia, with the way they randomly sloped and branched. A lot of the time, we ended up in caved-in tunnels and had to backtrack. I really wished there was some sort of map; however, it looked like Spence and I were on our own.

"What do you say? You think this is gonna be the lucky tunnel?" Spence asked, as we started down yet another tunnel.

"I doubt it. I've given up a while ago," I replied. However, as soon as we stepped into the tunnel, I felt something different. It was like a gut feeling, telling me I was close to home. My feelings were only confirmed as the tunnel started sloping up, a lot. This was different from the previous tunnels we had walked through, as none of them had sloped this much. Spence and I looked at each other, sharing a small spark of hope. We continued climbing, until we were greeted by the oddest sight.

"Oh my god, is that a door?" Spence asked, in disbelief. I had to take a second glance, to make sure my eyes weren't tricking me. Sure enough, there was an actual door, not just a fatigue-induced hallucination.

"I believe it is," I replied, just as stunned. Was this it? Were we finally back in Valancia? Or had we stumbled upon an entirely different city? For all I knew, this could have been a trapdoor leading to some kind of barbaric civilization. "Is it safe to go in?"

"Screw it. At this point, I'm beyond caring," Spence said. He roughly turned the door handle, pushing the door open with a surprising amount of strength. We stepped into a corridor with low, arching stone ceilings and gaslights burning in sconces, its character practically screaming Adria. We had to be back in Valancia; I didn't know where else those sketchy tunnels and ruins could have taken us. The only question now was, where exactly did we end up?

Spence and I made our way through more corridors. We eventually walked into a room filled with old oil paintings and presumably locked cabinets. The most astonishing sight were the tall, looming bookshelves, stacked to the ceiling with books. I knew those books contained Adria's real treasure, its secrets that had been kept hidden for all these years. While the gems in the ruins could be sold for easy money, the secrets stored inside these rooms were priceless, worth more than any number of jewels.

Spence flipped through an open book lying on the table. The old leather encasing the spine cracked with each turn of a page, sending dust flying into the air. The pages were yellow and faded, covered in perfect cursive written in a font-like hand. The words looked like some medieval form of Adrian.

We kept walking past more rooms filled with oil paintings, locked cabinets, and stuffed bookshelves before reaching a large, cavernous room. Weapons lined the wall on either side of us. Spence swore under his breath, looking around in awe. "Damn, what is this place?"

"I think I know what this is. I've never been inside until now but I think it's the Society's secret lair," I said, nodding at Spence's medallion. I gestured up to the ceiling, where sure enough, the same emblem was engraved.

"Shit," Spence muttered, staring up at the ceiling. "Would that have anything to do with this secretive group of ladies that my grandmother always used to talk about?"

"I believe that's the same group. From what I know, they go around protecting Adria's secrets."

"Yeah right. How could a group of ladies possibly have the power to do such a thing," Spence muttered. However, our eyes soon landed on a wall covered floor-to-ceiling in weapons.

"That's how," I said, gesturing at the wall. Spence let out a low whistle as he admired the weapons.

"You better not take any of those to me," Spence said, glancing at me out of the corner of his eye.

"Don't worry, man, we're good. Besides, who needs weapons when we've got raw manpower." To prove my point, I held up my fists in a mock fighting stance. Spence just laughed before moving on.

We walked, winding our way through rooms and corridors that felt strangely familiar. It felt like I had been here, or somewhere very close to here, before. We eventually stumbled upon a room with a door. I started heading towards the door, hoping it was our path to freedom. However, Spence stopped to look at something on the wall. As I stepped closer, I realized the walls held photos of past Society members, dating back to when cameras were first invented. I wandered over to the picture Spence was looking at. It was dated back twenty-five years ago, as indicated by the frame around the picture.

"Hey, that's my grandma," Spence said, pointing at a woman in the middle row. The woman standing next to Spence's grandma looked vaguely familiar. With a start, I realized it was Ms. Chancellor, chief of staff to the American embassy. I couldn't believe she had been a Society member for that long.

Below them, I spotted three woman sitting front and center. They had their arms around each other, huge smiles on their faces as they looked at the camera. I was suddenly pulled into one of my own memories, of playing in the park while those same three women sat together, deep in conversation. Grace's mother, Princess Ann, and my mother. It was strange to think how close the three of them used to be. Now, one was atop the throne, one was missing, and one was dead. I couldn't help but look behind me, like one of them was watching me. It sent shivers down my spine, looking at history, fearing it was going to catch up to me.

"Cool, huh?" Spence asked, glancing over at me. I just nodded, not trusting myself to speak. Spence turned further, until his gaze met the door.

"What do you say, you think this is another lucky door?" Spence asked.

"Who knows," I mumbled, too tired to think and care at this point. Spence walked towards the door and opened it, holding it for me. As soon as I stepped through the door, I realized where we had ended up. It was obvious as soon as I spotted the emblem on the door front. I had seen it enough times, on the papers my mother had left me and on a medallion around Spence's neck. We had just walked out of the Society's secret vault. I recognized the front of the vault from when Tanner, Jordan, and I had found it. If I turned around, I knew I would spot the alcove where the three of us had hidden when we heard Ms. Chancellor and Dominic Novak in the tunnels.

"You know this place?" Spence asked, giving me a questioning look, as he turned to face me.

"I had my suspicions earlier inside but now, I know for a fact that this is the Society's secret vault. We're now in their underground network of secret tunnels that run under Valancia."

"Oh, man, secret tunnels?" Spence asked, his face lighting up in curiosity. "And I'm standing in them right now? What else is hiding down here?"

"Not a whole lot, to be honest. This vault is probably the most exciting thing down here. Other than that, there are tunnel entrances leading into the basement of every embassy, as well as various streets around Valancia. It's not safe to be down here this late at night though. We should head back into the city." Spence nodded in agreement, although I could see the disappointment written all over his face. I led him towards the nearest tunnel entrance, opening into an alley that was just off Embassy Row. Spence was quite eager to climb up the ladder first. He easily wrenched open the trap door, pulling himself up. I quickly followed, closing the trap door behind me. I didn't want to risk the pulley system, in case it failed or alerted someone to our presence.

It felt nice to breathe in some fresh air again, after being underground for so long. I was quite scared that I wouldn't make it back to Valancia but I was glad I did. It was a good thing someone had built the ruins, the underground tunnels, and the caves; otherwise, I still could have been trapped on the island. Being home had never felt so good.

I checked the time on my phone and balked when I realized how late it was. 1:30 a.m. No wonder I felt so tired.

"So now what?" Spence asked, as we walked down the alley. "Walk around and see what other parties we could hit up? Explore the city and take in all the beautiful sights?"

"I'd love to show you around but I'm beat," I replied. "I could literally fall asleep right now."

"Well, I'm still on American time and sleep is honestly the last thing on my mind. I think I'll just take a walk around the city. Don't think I'd need a big, bad Russian to protect me."

"Wasn't planning on it. Besides, West Point should have taught you enough of that self-defence stuff, no?" I couldn't help the smirk that crept onto my face.

"For sure. Otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to beat the crap out of you," Spence teased.

"Oh please, we both know you got the brunt of the damage," I teased back. "Anyways, I'm going to head back to the Russian embassy but I'll see you around?"

"For sure, man. Take care." He caught me by surprise, with another guy hug. I earnestly returned it this time.

"You too. Stay safe out there, okay? The streets of Valancia can be kind of dangerous at night sometimes." Spence just winked at me.

"Don't worry, man, I got this. West Point training, right?"

"Wouldn't doubt you for a second," I replied, with a small, wry smirk.

* * *

**Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Next chapter will be up between Sept. 20 and Sept. 25. **

**What do you think of Spence and Alexei's relationship throughout this chapter? Is this going to be the last we see of Spence? Stay tuned! **


	10. Chapter 10 - When the Party's Over

**Hey guys, hope you had a great couple of weeks! I've passed my first finals of the year (which I was very happy about since those were the exams I was the most worried about) and took the weekend to do some fun reading (check out my Instagram to see what I was reading!) and get this chapter edited. There were a few things that didn't feel quite right in this chapter so it underwent a lot of transformation but I'm pretty happy with this final version of it! Read on to see if Alexei made it back to the embassy okay!**

* * *

**Gonna reply to reviews on the previous chapter, thanks so much to everyone who reviewed!**

**Guest: Haha pretty much XD. Unfortunately, poor little Spence doesn't realize just what's coming for him or how his West Point training isn't going to be enough to help him :P**

* * *

**Disclaimer****: I do not own the Embassy Row series and all the characters (except for Tanner and Jordan and Alexei's Moscow friends (Roman, Eugene, Josef, and Yulia), who are my own creations). They belong to Ally Carter. I am merely using her characters and plotline to create this fanfiction. This fanfiction is purely for entertainment purposes and would not exist without Ally Carter's wonderful works. **

**The events that happen in this fanfiction are not meant to be representative of real life. Any similarities to any real-life events or fictional works is purely coincidental and not intended by me (with the exception of the original Embassy Row books by Ally Carter since this fanfiction is literally See How They Run but from Alexei's, not Grace's, perspective). The character's actions may not always reflect my own opinions or views. Based on what is mentioned in this chapter, I do not condone physical violence or sexual assault. **

**Trigger warning: mild  
****This fanfiction is rated T, for suggestive themes, language, and violence. This chapter contains mild to moderate language (since I literally can't seem to go a chapter without swearing) and mentions of physical violence, alcohol, sexual assault, and blood. Read at your own discretion.**

* * *

Chapter Ten: When the Party's Over

The guards raised their eyebrows at me as I walked in through the Russian embassy gates, finally making it home. I wasn't the kind of guy who went around picking fights so it must have been quite a shock for them to see me in such a bruised, bloody state. Luckily, they didn't question me and just waved me along.

I squinted at how bright the inside of the embassy was. My eyes had gotten accustomed to the darkness of the tunnels and the ruins. I slowly climbed the stairs to my bedroom, not passing a single person. As I passed by the party hall, I noticed empty cups and vodka bottles littering the floor. There must have been celebrations for my father's inauguration as the ambassador and it looked like I arrived a little too late for the festivities. It was easy to imagine the party hall full of life. My father undoubtedly would have dominated the party, telling loud, drunken stories about his military days. That was how I had been a few hours ago, dominating another party in a completely different way. It was hard to believe how awake I had felt, beating the shit out of Spence and running purely on adrenaline.

Looking at the aftermath of the party, with no one in sight but clear signs of previous life, was almost haunting. It was like a shell of what it could be and what it had been just a few hours ago. The derelict conditions of the party hall reflected how I felt inside, empty and hollow. I just felt like a zombie, exhausted and drained of life. In a way, I too felt like a shell of my former self, no longer full of the life that had pushed me to fight Spence.

I finally reached my room, being careful not to make too much noise as I gingerly opened the door. I padded over to my bathroom, flicking on the lights. As I stared at my reflection in the mirror, I realized just how awful I looked. My right eye was starting to swell, which would explain why I had difficulties seeing out of it. I thought it was just the dark conditions of the tunnels but clearly, I must have taken a few too many hits to the face. There was a cut by my hairline, which seemed to be scabbing over well. My face was covered in dried blood, as were my knuckles. At this point, I had no idea if it was mine or Spence's. On top of it all, I was absolutely covered with dirt and dust.

I painfully set about stripping off my dirty clothes. It was hard, considering how much I was aching. I had only managed to get my shirt off when I heard a knock on the door. I turned around to see Mikhail poking his head in.

"I thought I heard you come in," Mikhail said, walking into the bathroom. He paled as he took in my filthy, injured state. "Lyosha, what happened?" It was hard to miss the fatherly-like concern in his voice.

"I got into a fight at a party," I replied emotionlessly.

"That's not like you. Is everything alright?"

"At this point, I don't know anymore," I said, letting down my guard. "I mean, everything was fine at first. I arrived at the party with Tanner and Jordan. I talked to Lila and Rosie. Then, I went to find Grace. Except I found her with this other guy, Spence, a friend of Jamie's from West Point. I found out that Spence had kissed Grace and I completely lost it. I punched him, hard, and before I knew it, we had started a fight." Mikhail nodded, staying silent. I thought about what I had just said, a horrible realization dawning on me.

"Oh my god, I was fighting with another guy over a girl ," I groaned, placing my hands on the bathroom counter and leaning down in shame. "And not just any girl, but Grace." I mentally kicked myself for letting my emotions getting the better of me. Otherwise, I wouldn't have gotten into that whole mess with Spence in the first place. If my father ever found out I had gotten into a fight over Grace, he would be so disappointed in me. That lecture, if it ever happened, would be a bad one.

"It happens," Mikhail said. "Although I never imagined it would happen to you."

"I really messed up, didn't I?" I asked, looking down in disgrace.

"No, you didn't. You've just grown up and fallen in love." Mikhail comfortingly put a hand on my shoulder then gently put his finger under my chin. He tilted my head up so I was forced to look him in the eye. "It happens to the best of us. Your father used to get into all these fights over your mother, back in his prime." I stared up at Mikhail in shock. That seemed like the last thing my father would do. To be honest, I didn't think he was capable of feeling enough emotions to get in a fight over a girl.

"Hell, even I've gotten into a few fights over Natalia," Mikhail said, with a light laugh. However, there was no mistaking the sad look in his eyes.

"The thing is, this wasn't the first time this has happened." I looked down again, afraid to admit it.

"No?" It was hard to miss the surprise in Mikhail's voice.

"When I was in Moscow, I met this girl at a party. We got along pretty well and we sort of had a thing. She invited me to a music festival in Dubrovnia, called Dubrovnia Summerfest. When we were there, I saw a man touching her inappropriately so I punched him. That was it. The security guards at the festival showed up almost right away so nothing else could have happened." Mikhail nodded, slowly taking in what I had to say.

"Did you think that was the right thing to do?"

"Of course," I replied, without hesitation. "I couldn't just stand there while my friend was getting assaulted by a strange man. I had to do something."

Mikhail smiled at me. "You've become quite the noble gentleman, haven't you?"

I just shrugged. "I'd do it again if I had to." I didn't see myself that way, despite all the jokes Tanner and Jordan made about me getting a kick out of playing the knight in shining armour. I just did what was right, even if it wasn't always the easy thing, like standing up for my friends when they were mistreated.

"If tonight's events were anything to go by, then it certainly sounds like you did. Although it seems like things went a bit overboard tonight." At Dubrovnia Summerfest, I had done what was necessary to defend Yulia's honour. Luckily, things hadn't escalated further, thanks to the all the security guards around. But at the party, it was just a bunch of teenagers. Everyone had been egging us on, looking for some good party drama to post about the next morning. Clearly, things had gone way too far. I looked down at my bloodied hands, realizing that maybe I had really screwed up tonight.

"At the time, it seemed like the right thing to do. I couldn't think straight after learning Spence had kissed Grace and absolutely lost it when I saw him." In fighting with Spence, was I defending Grace's honour or exacting revenge on Spence? I hadn't seen it happen. For all I knew, Grace could have made it up to provoke me. But I knew Grace and deep down, I knew she wouldn't lie about something like that.

"My point is, you're young. You'll get into fights over girls. This is only the beginning. Just make sure you're fighting for the right people, the ones that you truly love. Because your head and your heart may be telling you two different things, about which people are good or bad for you. Although you might be tempted to listen to your head, in the end, your heart will always win. Your feelings and inner desires will always prevail over your rational thoughts. No matter how much logic will tell you something and no matter how much you want to believe it, in the end, your emotions will always win." I took a second to let his words sink in. Yes, I was definitely willing to fight for Grace. I had proved that tonight, by beating the crap out of Spence. But would I fight for her a second time, take another black eye, another punch, or a bullet for her? Even though my head was telling me no, my heart was saying yes. And subconsciously, I knew. I knew that, no matter what, I would take that black eye, punch, or bullet for Grace.

"See?" Mikhail said, a small smile on his face. "The heart always gets what it wants, no matter how difficult it may be. If you can find a way for it to happen, then it will. Even if you think there's no way it will happen, it will. After all, fate has a strange way of making things work." I thought about all the times I had randomly run into Grace. Like finding her at the ruins tonight. Was that fate, leading me to her? Sure, Rosie had told me it was likely Grace would be checking out the ruins. However, had I subconsciously known where to find her, purely because of chance, or something more, like fate? Was this an indication that Grace and I were meant to be together?

"Anyways, I'll let you give that some thought." I swore I saw a knowing smile on Mikhail's face, lasting only a brief second, before his face returned to a neutral expression. "Do you need help cleaning up or are you okay?"

"I –" I started, before sparks of pain shot out from my swollen eye. I tensed up, letting out a groan.

"Here, sit," Mikhail said, nodding towards the toilet seat. I sat down while Mikhail ran a washcloth under cold water. He instructed me to hold it against my swollen eye then ran a second washcloth under hot water, using it to wipe the dried blood off my face.

"This looks bad." Mikhail gently touched the burn on my arm. I subconsciously drew back in pain. "I really hope this isn't infected." He ran the washcloth under warm water then used it to clean the burn and the cut along my hairline.

"There, hopefully that should help," Mikhail said, once he finished. "Are you fine to clean up?"

"I think so." Most of the blood was wiped off, although I was still covered in dirt and dust. However, that was nothing a quick shower couldn't fix.

"I've got some topical creams for the cuts and the burn in my room. I'll drop them off in your room so you can use them for the time being. Other than that, I don't think there's a whole lot you can do, for now."

"Thank you so much, Mikhail," I said, grateful to him for helping me clean up.

"Of course, Lyosha, it's what I'm here for." He held me close for a second, his embrace calming and comforting. "Try to get some sleep tonight, okay?" I nodded, although I wasn't sure how easily sleep was going to come. I was physically exhausted, yet my mind was still spinning at a hundred miles an hour. Mikhail smiled at me then walked out of my bathroom, closing the door behind him. I stripped off the rest of my clothes then hopped in the shower. The stream of water hitting my bruised and battered body was both relaxing and painful. I washed off the dirt and the dust and tried to get some of the dried blood off my knuckles. However, I was too tired to put in the effort to scrub it off, leaving a few specks behind.

After my shower, I walked back into my bedroom. I pulled on an old t-shirt and a pair of basketball shorts. I noticed a couple tubes sitting on my desk, along with a note. I quickly scanned the note. I wasn't surprised to find it was from Mikhail, telling me which creams to use for my injuries and how often to use them. I took the tubes into the bathroom, applying a thin layer of the first one, a white antibiotic cream, to my cuts. Then, I applied a thick layer of the second one, a green aloe lotion, to my burn. I had to grit my teeth against the stinging pain as I tended to my wounds but I knew the creams would help them heal faster. Once again, I mentally thanked Mikhail for always putting in that extra step to look out for me, something my father never bothered to do.

After placing the tubes on my bathroom counter, I walked back into my bedroom. I quickly checked the time on my phone. 2:30 a.m., an indication that I should really be going to sleep. However, I was still feeling too wired to sleep and there was an ongoing stream of notifications on my phone. For some reason, all my social media accounts, especially Snapchat, Instagram, and Tik Tok, were getting tagged on various posts. Tanner had tagged me in his Snap story, Lila had tagged me in her Insta story, and Jordan had tagged me in his Tik Tok video. And those were just the top notifications. As I scrolled through the notifications, it looked like practically every embassy kid had tagged me in some sort of social media post. I had a pretty quiet presence on social media and rarely posted so why was suddenly everyone tagging me in their posts?

I grabbed my phone and settled into my bed, pulling the covers around my legs. I clicked on Tanner's Snap story first, knowing he'd keep pestering me if I didn't watch it. I didn't bother watching each snippet in full, just quickly clicking through to get a jist of it. As it turned out, Tanner's Snap story basically depicted the fight between Spence and I. I clicked into Instagram, clicking on Lila's story. Just like Tanner, her story was essentially a play-by-play of the fight between Spence and I. At one point, I had thrown Spence a particularly nasty punch, which Lila captioned, "_You go alexei_volkov!"_, with the fist emoji. Jordan's Tik Tok video was pretty much the same thing, depicting Spence and I beating the shit out of each other in time to the beat of "Eye of the Tiger". Was that why everyone was tagging me, for providing the cheap party entertainment of the night? Hopefully, this would be short-lived and forgotten about, once everyone's stories expired twenty-four hours later. I side-swiped all the social media notifications, not in the mood to deal with them right now. After I finished swiping through what felt like a gazillion notifications, all that was left was a steady stream of texts from Tanner, the last of which was sent a few seconds ago.

"_bro pls if u see this send the Russian flag emoji_" I raised my eyebrows at the screen, surprised that Tanner was still up. I clicked into the group chat and sent the Russian flag emoji. Not a moment too soon, there was a reply from Tanner.

"_OMG UR ALIVE!_" I rolled my eyes at his need to use all caps.

"_of course im alive, why wouldnt I be?_" I replied.

"_in all seriousness bro we kinda thought u died :P_" Jordan texted. So Jordan was still up too. Interesting. So apparently, they could stay up and post videos of the party fight on social media but couldn't be bothered to find me and take me home.

"_what happened 2 u? we tried finding u but it was getting late so we left_" Tanner sent.

I let out a huff of anger as I furiously typed a reply. "_wtf man? U just left without me? u could have at least tried a little harder 2 find me_"

"_sry bro we tried, we rly did. We waited and waited but u never showed so we just left_" Jordan texted.

"_srsly wtf happened 2 bro code? I thought we were bros 4 life. Guess not…_" I sent. It took a moment before either of them dared to reply.

"_sry man :/ I rly mean it_" Tanner sent.

"_me 2 sry :/ we felt so bad 4 leaving u behind but it was rly late and everyone else was already leaving_" Jordan sent.

"_werent we supposed 2 have each others backs?_" I sent. I could understand why they'd want to leave if it was getting late but I couldn't fathom why they thought it was fine to leave without me, especially if they had no idea where I was or if I was even safe.

"_no offense but we kinda thought big bro was taking u back_" Tanner sent. It took me a second to figure out who he was talking about.

"_Hell no. Jamie's pissed af at me rn. Besides u guys are my bros u were supposed 2 have my back_" I sent, not bothering to be subtle.

"_sry :/ we rly thought Jamie was taking u back so we kinda just left after we couldnt find u cuz we thought u were with him_" Jordan sent.

"_-_-_" That was all I really had to say to them. Did they seriously think Jamie would have been kind enough to offer me a ride, especially after what I had done to Spence? And all because of Grace? I had to resist the urge to facepalm in real life.

"_we're sry alexei, we rly are_" Tanner sent.

"_what tanner said. it wont happen again we promise_" Jordan sent.

"_it better not. Or else ill make u guys spar with me again. With no protective gear. And I wont be going easy on either of u_" I texted. I was too tired to stay mad at them. Besides, it'd probably blow over by tomorrow morning, as all our fights did. Tanner sent a bunch of horrified face emojis, making me smile. I was glad they knew not to mess with me during sparring, especially if I was pissed off. It was nice to know I could always threaten them with that, even if I never followed through with it.

"_so we good?_" Jordan texted.

"_sure whatevs_" I replied.

"_thx 4 the forgiveness bro_" Tanner sent, with the praying hands emoji. The group chat was silent for a moment before Tanner sent another text.

"_in all seriousness how tf did u get back from the island?_"

"_it's a long story bro u wouldnt believe it if I told u. I still have a hard time believing it myself_" I replied.

"_how crazy are we talking?_" Jordan sent.

"_crazier than secret tunnels_" I sent.

";o; _pls spill_" Tanner sent.

"_it was insane. Found a way into the ruins then managed 2 get out through this underground tunnel that connected 2 the society vault and the tunnels under valancia_" I quickly recapped.

"_damn u werent kidding when u said crazy_" Jordan sent, with a laughing tears face emoji.

"_tell me about it, its a wonder I even made it out alive :P_" I sent.

"_ur a big bad Russian how could u not make it out ;)_" Tanner texted. If only they knew about the fight I had gotten into with Spence in the ruins. They would absolutely lose their minds. However, I didn't want them to know about that fight. Firstly, it would seem sketchy for me to wander around with Spence mere hours after getting into a public spectacle with him. Secondly, that fight was not for the public eye, to show off my flashy moves and dazzle the crowd. No, that was a fight for my very existence, as I easily could have died. It was a fight for humanity, to hope Spence would show mercy and forgive me, instead of pushing me off the cliff. In a way, that had been my real fight of the night. But no one could know about it, not without dire consequences for both me and Spence.

"_yo, whats up with everyone tagging me on social media?_" I texted, hoping to get the attention off my mysterious return back from the island.

"_u and that guy, damn that was the fight of a lifetime. How could I not post it?_" Tanner replied.

"_agreed. Never seen u fight like that. Had 2 get it all down_" Jordan seconded.

"-_- _rly?_" I texted. I couldn't understand what was so social-media-worthy about my fight with Spence. It was literally just two guys going head to head over a girl. How exciting could that possibly be?

"_dude, literally no drama ever happens here. As soon as smthng happens, everyone goes apeshit_" Tanner texted. That much was true. Adria was pretty quiet. Whenever anything happened, people went crazy. I supposed tonight was no different. There was a newcomer and he was interested in the same girl as me. Then we happened to fight over her. From what I could recall, it was the first time that had ever happened during my time in Adria. It looked like Spence and I had given everyone a show they'd remember for a long time, unfortunately. I was hoping it would blow over within the next day or two but whenever something happened here, people talked. Hopefully, it would die down sooner rather than later.

"_ill say. Whos that guy u were fighting alexei? Literally never seen him around b4_" Jordan texted.

"_a friend of jamies from west point. His name is john spencer but Grace introduced him 2 me as spence_" I replied.

"_wait ur girl did the introductions?_" Tanner asked, with a questioning face emoji.

"_unfortunately yes_" I replied.

"_damn no wonder u got into a fight with him_" Tanner texted, with a laughing tears face emoji.

"_ill say. We lost u after u talked 2 Lila then next thing we know, we see u rolling out of the forest with some rando and ur girl in tow_" Jordan added.

"_what the hell even happened in the fores go all apeshit? I mean, u punch us and stuff for shit we say but ive never seen u go all out, especially with someone u just met_" Tanner texted. I sighed. It looked like I was going to have to spill.

"_I saw grace go into the forest and that guy followed her. Got sketch vibes from him ASAP. Followed them in and found out he kissed her, possibly w/o her consent_" I replied, giving them the Sparknotes version.

"_shit thats bad_" Tanner texted, with a horrified face emoji.

"_ill say, especially since u got into an all-out brawl with him_" Jordan added.

"_he practically sexually assaulted grace. I had 2 do smthng_" I texted, letting out a huff of frustration. All those emotions I had felt towards Spence were starting to boil up again. I took a deep breath, trying my best to control them.

"_so u thought clocking him in the face and starting the fight of the century was the right thing 2 do_" Tanner texted.

"_look I was tired and pissed off. Still kinda am_" I replied. If Tanner kept pushing this, then I was going to start getting pissed at him too.

"_get some sleep bro. we can talk about this l8r_" Jordan texted. It was a good thing I could count on Jordan to be the voice of reason if needed. I checked the time on my phone, surprised that it was almost 3:30 a.m.

"_sure._ _Night guys_" I texted.

"_night man" _Tanner sent.

"_night bro_" Jordan sent, with a peace sign emoji. I snuggled further under the covers, settling into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

**Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Next chapter will be up between Oct. 11 and Oct. 16. **

**What do you think happens next? That concludes the first third of this fanfic, which included Alexei's adventures in Moscow and his return to Adria. The second third of this fanfic closely follows what happens next in See How They Run, which means you should all know what's coming ;) **


	11. Chapter 11 - He's Dead

**Hey guys, hope you've had a great start to your October! Now, we're in the second third of this fanfic, which covers the main plot in See How They Run. For some reason, I don't like these chapters as much, probably because I didn't have as much freedom to make the characters do whatever I wanted. Though there will be much more Gralexei now compared to the first third of this fanfic; read on for the first of many Gralexei scenes!**

* * *

**Gonna reply to reviews on the previous chapter, thanks so much to everyone who reviewed! Awesome to see more of you getting engaged and sharing your thoughts, it brightens my day when I get an email saying that someone has left a review! :)**

**Guest: Thank you, I hope this chapter finds you well! I feel like I tend to go to the extremes with my character interpretations, which I understand not everyone will like. Thank you for opening my eyes to life at West Point and what the cadets are like since I don't know anyone who has gone there. I'll try to be a bit more respectful in future updates. **

**Guest: The chapter title wasn't totally on purpose, I was looking for something that fit and that song title popped into my head (which is weird since I don't listen to Billie Eilish but it's hard not to know her songs since she's all over the Internet). It was a pretty good summary of what that chapter was about so I figured why not ¯\\_(****ツ****)_/¯**

**MoonlightModel: Thank you, I'm glad you're enjoying reading from Alexei's point of view! In this chapter, Alexei delves a bit more into the legal aspects of what Spence did. I try to be an advocate for equity, which is why I had Alexei emphasize the importance of consent a lot. I had a feeling the titles of the Embassy Row novels were based off nursery rhymes but I never bothered to look them up so thanks for letting me know :P **

**Guest: Read on to find out ;)**

* * *

**Disclaimer****: I do not own the Embassy Row series and all the characters (except for Tanner and Jordan and Alexei's Moscow friends (Roman, Eugene, Josef, and Yulia), who are my own creations). They belong to Ally Carter. I am merely using her characters and plotline to create this fanfiction. This fanfiction is purely for entertainment purposes and would not exist without Ally Carter's wonderful works. **

**The events that happen in this fanfiction are not meant to be representative of real life. Any similarities to any real-life events or fictional works is purely coincidental and not intended by me (with the exception of the original Embassy Row books by Ally Carter since this fanfiction is literally See How They Run but from Alexei's, not Grace's, perspective). The character's actions may not always reflect my own opinions or views. **

**Trigger warning: mild to moderate  
****This fanfiction is rated T, for suggestive themes, language, and violence. This chapter contains mild language (since I literally can't seem to go a chapter without swearing), mentions of blood, and depictions of dead bodies. Read at your own discretion.**

* * *

Chapter Eleven: He's Dead

When I woke up, I noticed two things. First, that I had a pounding headache. And second, that I could vaguely smell food. I rolled over in my bed, glancing at my alarm clock. 8:00 a.m. I groaned as I slumped my head back against the pillow. I had barely gotten 4 hours of sleep, if that. I knew it would be a wasted effort if I tried to fall back asleep, thanks to the pounding in my head. Besides, that food smell was quite enticing, almost alluring me to get out of bed. I slowly sat up, looking around to find its source. Sure enough, I spotted a covered tray and a tall glass on my desk. I got out of bed and walked over to my desk, trying to ignore the pain all over my body. I spotted a note on the tray and picked it up to read it.

_Lyosha, I brought you breakfast. Thought the food might help. Take it easy for the next few days, okay? – Mikhail_

I smiled at Mikhail's familiar handwriting, touched by his thoughtful gesture. He honestly did so much for me and truly cared about me; I wasn't sure how I could ever thank him. I sat down at my desk and uncovered the tray to reveal a stack of blini with small containers of jam, honey, and berries on the side and a glass of milk to wash it all down. It was a childhood comfort food, something I hadn't eaten in years. There were even blueberries arranged on top of the blini stack in a smiley face, just how I liked it when I was a child. I was a bit surprised Mikhail remembered that though I really shouldn't have been because, growing up, Mikhail had always been there for me and remembered even the tiniest details.

I took a few large gulps in milk, relishing in the coolness before digging into the stack of still hot and no doubt freshly made blini. I took my time folding and filling each one with generous portions of jam, honey, and berries, all of which were super fresh and tasted like they had come from the farmer's market.

As I savoured my blini, I wondered if this was Mikhail's way of secretly comforting me. I couldn't remember the last time I had been comforted like this. My father was never one to comfort me as a child. Even after my mother had disappeared, he always told me to man up and stop getting so upset about it. Mikhail had always been the one to hold me close and dry my tears as a child.

I quickly finished off my breakfast, practically inhaling it. I hadn't realized how hungry I was but yesterday's events must have worn me out a lot. As I drained the glass of milk, I noticed a small cup of water with two Advil tablets. It was almost like Mikhail had known I would wake up with a pounding headache. I immediately downed the Advil and the water, hoping it would kick in soon. Once again, I realized just how lucky I was to have Mikhail for the big things, and the small ones too.

I changed out of my worn t-shirt and basketball shorts into a clean t-shirt and tailored shorts. I stepped into the bathroom, to make sure I looked somewhat acceptable. I was almost astonished by how awful I looked. My right eye was quite swollen. The cut by my hairline was almost completely scabbed over. I saw nasty-looking purple spots of bruises forming along my jawline. There was still dried blood on my knuckles that I couldn't be bothered to wash off and the burn on my arm wasn't looking too great. I slathered some of the topical creams on my cuts and burns again. It stung at first but the cooling sensations that quickly followed provided much relief.

As I took one last glance in the mirror, taking in the bruised and battered boy staring back at me, the seriousness of last night's events came crashing back to me. Back on the beach, I had been acting without thinking. Now, I realized what a bad idea that had been. Based on the look he had given me last night, Jamie was definitely mad at me, not just for beating up his friend, but for fighting over his younger sister. I supposed the cat was out of the bag now, about my feelings for Grace, and Jamie was not happy about it. There was no way I could do anything about them though, not without pissing Jamie off even more. I would have to find some way to apologize to him.

Yet, I'd also have to apologize to Grace too, for fighting over her. I had never imagined I would fight over her, yet last night, I took punches and kicks for her, without second thought. Surely, it must have scared her, to know that she was the reason behind the fight. I had to apologize to her, to ensure that another fight over her wouldn't happen again.

I walked back into my bedroom. I grabbed my phone and laid down on my bed. I called Jamie first, deciding it was more important to apologize to him. However, the call just went straight to voicemail. I wasn't surprised by that. It was possible he was angry enough to be ignoring me. I sent him a couple texts too, figuring he'd be less likely to ignore them. Jamie replied to texts super quickly unless he was in class, working out, or asleep. I figured he wouldn't be doing any of those at this time.

Needless to say, I was a bit surprised when Jamie hadn't replied to my texts after half an hour. Was he purposely ignoring me or was he just busy? I didn't want to feel super clingy but I really needed to talk to him, before my actions last night really started weighing down on my conscience. I tried calling him a few more times but they all went to voicemail. I hung up in frustration. So maybe Jamie was ignoring me. Fine, two could play that game. Perhaps Grace would be more likely to give me answers. It looked like I was going to be making an unexpected trip to the American embassy.

I slipped my feet into my Converse and placed my phone in my pocket. Belatedly, I remembered the empty tray on my desk. I grabbed it, so I could drop it off at the kitchen before heading over to the American embassy.

As I walked down the stairs, I felt pain flaring up all over my body. I really must have outdone myself last night. I had never woken up this sore the day after a workout, not even after an intense sparring session with Mikhail or my father. I tried to ignore the pain as best as I could, eventually making it to the second-floor landing.

"Morning, Lyosha, slept alright?" I looked up to see Mikhail approaching me.

"Ugh, not really," I replied, groaning in pain.

"How are you feeling?" Mikhail asked, stepping closer. I saw the concern in his eyes as he gave me a once-over.

"Fine." Mikhail just raised an eyebrow, like he didn't believe me at all.

"Okay, maybe I'm not so fine after all," I said, with a sigh.

"I'll say. How's your eye?"

"Can't really see out of it," I said, not bothering to lie. My field of vision was narrower than normal with black spots in my middle left and far right visual fields, making me feel extremely disoriented. That alone had made the journey down one flight of stairs much more difficult. I wasn't sure if I'd be able to make it to the American embassy in one piece. With my luck, I'd probably wander too far into the street and get hit by a car.

"It is looking better than it did earlier. Would you like me to take that down for you?" He glanced down at the tray I was holding.

"Yes, I'd appreciate it. Thanks for bringing the food and the Advil up. They really helped," I said, handing Mikhail the tray.

"Of course," Mikhail replied, with a smile. "Heading out?"

"Yes, I need to talk to Grace and apologize for fighting over her."

"I won't keep you from that," Mikhail said, nodding in understanding. "Let me know how it goes, okay?"

"Okay." I nodded at Mikhail before heading down the stairs and out the front entrance to the gates. I wordlessly nodded at the guards as they let me out then walked the short distance to the American embassy. As I approached the gates, I saw someone speaking with one of the guards. When the figure waved at me, I really had to look twice, to make sure it was who I thought it was.

"Alexei, what a pleasure to see you! What brings you to the American embassy this morning?" Ms. Chancellor asked diplomatically. Although her tone of voice was friendly and cordial, shock was written all over her face as she took in my beaten-up, dishevelled appearance.

"Good morning, Ms. Chancellor, I'd like to speak to Grace," I said, doing my best to sound diplomatic. Ms. Chancellor tensed up before her face reassumed a friendly expression.

"I see. I'll see if Grace is awake."

"Thank you. By the way, do you know if Jamie is busy right now? I've been trying to call him all morning, with no response."

"I can check. I haven't seen him all morning but Vincent says he was probably out for a run. Maybe he's returned to the embassy by now." I nodded as she headed towards the main entrance of the American embassy, watching as she disappeared inside. I wondered what Grace was doing. Would she still be asleep? Or would she be with Jamie, laughing and talking? Maybe they were catching up over breakfast. If anything, I hoped that last night's fight hadn't ruined their strong sibling relationship. I would easily sacrifice my friendship with Jamie, or whatever it was that I had with Grace, if it meant that they would still be close. Better for me to lose one or both of them than for them to lose each other.

I looked up at the sound of approaching footsteps. I expected it to be Ms. Chancellor but my breath caught when I realized who it was. Grace. I almost had to stop myself from rushing towards her. Instead, I watched as she got closer, taking in my bruised, battered, and bloodied appearance. She didn't say anything when she reached me. She just silently nodded at the marine, who let her out. She walked on ahead, remaining silent. I easily caught up and fell into step beside her, matching my pace to hers.

There was an uneasy silence between us as we walked. After all, there was so much to be said. However, bringing it up wasn't easy. Yes, I had wanted to see her so I could apologize to her and clear the air about everything but I didn't even know where to start.

I felt Grace's eyes on me as we walked. She started to reach out, as if she was going to console me or maybe even grab my hand, but pulled her hand back and crossed her arms at the last second.

"Don't tell me," Grace said, breaking the silence, "I should see the other guy."

"I have no desire for you to see the other guy." I had no idea if Spence looked just as bad as me, or worse. Personally, I thought I had done him in really well last night. However, now that Grace had mentioned it, I was curious about Spence. I wanted to see if he had recovered at all or bore any battle scars from our fights.

"Then you will be happy to hear that the other guy didn't come home after the party. At least that's what Jamie said at breakfast." I stopped in my tracks, blinking in surprise. Spence hadn't made it back to the American embassy? I looked behind me, almost like I was expecting Spence to be standing right behind us. Surely, he couldn't have gotten lost last night. It was almost impossible to get lost in Valancia. It was a small city, smaller than most American cities he was likely familiar with. Besides, with guards stationed twenty-four-seven at each embassy, he had no excuse not to ask someone for directions. Maybe he went back into the tunnels and got lost, ending up back at the island? It was hard to fathom the possibilities.

"Jamie's still mad," Grace said, addressing one of the many issues awkwardly hanging between us.

"I had assumed as much." If all my unanswered texts and calls were anything to go by, then Jamie was definitely still mad at me. I had a feeling this wasn't something that would blow over easily.

Grace and I walked towards the city gates in silence. Carefree tourists and locals passed us, happy people who were completely oblivious to the tension that hung between Grace and I and the many things that were currently going wrong in my life.

"You came back," Grace stated.

"I did." I replied simply, stating the truth. I slid my hand into my pocket but suddenly winced when a jolt of pain went up my hand. "Moscow is concerned about … our situation. The ambassador is retiring. My father will assume the position."

"What were you doing last night?" What was I doing last night? More like, what was _she _doing last night? I instantly snapped, nearly losing control of my emotions.

"That man was touching you." It took everything I had to keep from growling. Even though I more or less made up with Spence last night, it still filled me with rage, knowing that he had violated Grace and kissed without her consent.

"He's not a _man._ He's Jamie's age." Grace's tone of voice rubbed me the wrong way. It was almost like she didn't see how dire the situation was. Yes, Spence might have only been three years older than her but he was a legal adult and she wasn't. Last night could have gone so much worse for her if I hadn't been there to intervene. I had to make her see that.

"Jamie is a man now. _I _am almost a man." Perhaps it hadn't dawned on her that her older brother was a legal adult, as was his friend. Hell, in less than a year, I would be turning eighteen, making me a legal adult. Yet, here she was at sixteen, two years from being a legal adult. Based on what Spence had done to her, he theoretically could have been charged for juvenile sexual assault, which was arguably worse than being charged for plain old sexual assault, not that that wasn't bad enough already. Had that thought crossed her mind even once? I turned towards Grace, glaring at her, hoping she'd finally realize the gravity of what happened last night.

"What were you doing, Alexei?"

"I thought you needed help."

"I don't need any help." I just gave her a knowing look.

"Yes, you do." If I hadn't come to her rescue, then I wasn't sure who would have. Out of all the people I knew, Grace was definitely the one who needed help, as much as she liked to deny it. Not just with staying out of trouble but with addressing her long-standing mental health issues. There was so much going on inside her head, so much that I didn't know about. If only she could truly see how much it'd benefit her to have someone to help her through it.

I felt Grace's eyes on me, boring right through me, like she was trying to figure out what was underneath. She reached up, gently running a finger along my face. I felt a jolt of electricity, my skin burning wherever she touched me. Grace must have felt it too because she suddenly pulled back.

"I will make apologies to your friend if that is what you wish." My gaze dropped to the ground as I swallowed my pride, doing what I had meant to do in the first place. Even though Spence and I were kind of cool now and I didn't want to open up this can of worms with him again, I would formally apologize to him if that was what Grace wanted.

"He is not _my _friend." I nodded, feeling slightly reassured that Grace didn't consider Spence to be her friend.

"To Jamie's friend. To your grandfather. I have lived here long enough to know that there are repercussions for my actions. I knew better than to behave as I did. I am sorry, but …"

"But what, Alexei?" Grace interrupted, throwing her hands out like she was frustrated by all this talk and just wanted me to get to the point. "If you knew better then why did you do it?" I took a moment to gather up all my practiced apologies in my head, stringing them into a coherent sentence when the wind suddenly picked up, whipping Grace's hair around her face. Paired with the wild look in her eyes, she looked like the fighter she was inside. She looked so strong, so beautiful, and I knew I very well couldn't tell her why I really behaved as I did last night.

"Are you mad that I fought with Jamie's friend, Gracie? Are you mad that I interrupted the two of you? Or are you just mad that I left?"

"You don't get it, Alexei. I'm mad because you came back." She moved away from me. Even though it was just one step, it felt like a harsh slap to the face. Was my presence really making her life that much worse? I thought she would have been thrilled to know I was back but I supposed I was wrong. Maybe she didn't want me in her life at all.

We kept walking through the city, without exchanging another word. Clearly, the conversation was over but neither of us were ready to go home, not with everything that was still left to be said. The conversation we had was clearly just the start and I feared it had made things worse between us. I didn't want to lose her, not when I had just gotten back from Moscow and reunited with her but I feared that I wouldn't have many more chances to make things right with her again.

When we passed through the city gates and headed towards the beach, the tense silence became too much for me to handle. There was still so much more to say; it would always be that way between us. I had to try again, to apologize and show her how truly sorry I was for the way I acted last night. Otherwise, I feared that it would permanently drive a wedge between us.

"Grace, I –" I started. However, I was quickly interrupted by the sound of shouting voices.

"Over here!" someone yelled in Adrian. I heard more panicked cries and shouts coming from the shore. I headed closer to the beach, Grace behind me. There were a couple men swimming in the surf, fighting the tide as they swam towards something floating in the water. They managed to grab hold of it, beginning the swim back to shore. One of them yelled for an ambulance and I got the sense that something was very wrong.

As the men approached the shore, pulling the object with them, I realized it was a body. Not just any body though. I immediately recognized the close-cropped hair, broad shoulders, and West Point-issued jacket. Spence. And he was dead. I almost couldn't believe it but after taking a second glance, I realized it was indeed him. What had happened to him? He was fine last night. Had he gotten drunk and fallen off the cliffs? I couldn't think of another reason for him to be dead.

All around me, I heard whispers throughout the crowd. _Body. Police. This says his name is Blakely_. They only confirmed my suspicions that this would get bad fast. I suddenly heard a bloodcurdling yell from beside me.

"Jamie!" Before I knew what was happening, Grace had shot through the crowd, fighting her way towards Spence's body. I immediately ran after her, doing my best to push my way through the crowd.

"Jamie, Jamie, Jamie, wake up. Wake –"

"Grace, wait." I caught up to her, putting my arms around her. Unsurprisingly, Grace tried to fight me, so desperate to get to the body that she thought was Jamie. I had to make her see that Jamie was fine. I pulled her close to me, squeezing her to my chest.

"Jamie!" I turned Grace, pressing her cheek against my chest, as if willing her to look away from the gruesome sight before us. "I have to go help Jamie!"

"Shh. It's okay." I cupped Grace's face in my hands, tilting her head up so I could look right into her eyes. A heartbroken look of terror and shock filled her eyes, like she couldn't believe this was happening. The longer she stayed panicked, the worse this was going to get. I didn't know how much longer I had until she would go into overdrive, unable to be consoled by anyone or anything.

"No, I –"

"Grace, it's okay!" I shouted, forcing myself to keep my voice steady, to reassure Grace. The last thing I wanted was for her to have a mental breakdown right here on the beach, surrounded by dozens of strangers. I had to make her see reason, before I completely lost her. "Jamie's at the embassy, remember. Jamie's at the embassy. Jamie is okay." I stared into her eyes, desperately willing her to believe me. I let out a sigh of relief when she finally exhaled.

"Jamie's at the embassy. Jamie is okay," Grace said, parroting my words. I saw her visibly relaxing as she spoke, causing me to relax too. However, the wild and frantic look in her eyes remained as she looked at Spence's body again, really taking it in this time. She started to pull away from me and that was when I knew a different realization had hit her.

"That's Spence," Grace said. "I've got to get him. I have to help him." I immediately grabbed her again, pulling her back towards me.

"You can't help him," I said, taking her face tightly in my hands and forcing her to look at me. I didn't want her looking at Spence's body anymore, seeing as it had caused her so much distress. I had to make her see that Spence was dead, that he was beyond saving, no matter how much she wanted to help him.

"I have to help him," Grace reiterated. I simply shook my head, trying to make her see that Spence couldn't be helped.

"He's Jamie's friend," Grace tried. As if that would make a difference. I held Grace tight against me, bracing her for the truth that I didn't want to tell her, even though I ultimately didn't have a choice.

"He's dead, Gracie. He's dead."

* * *

**Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Next chapter will be up between Oct. 27 and Nov. 1. **

**How do you think Grace and Jamie are going to handle the news of Spence's death? The next chapter will also feature a somewhat foreshadow-y conversation with a character that Alexei hasn't talked to in a while, any guesses?**

* * *

**Update (Nov. 2): Hey guys, as you may have noticed, it is past Nov. 1 and the next chapter has not been posted. I'd like to apologize for not getting it up since it's 100% my fault (especially since I promised that there wouldn't be any late chapters). I've been pretty busy with school; I have a final exam (covering 7 weeks of material) next Friday worth 70% of my final course mark so I really need to focus on studying for that. I also haven't been in much of an editing mood lately (so I've been putting off editing the next chapter since there's a lot of things I'm not happy with and can't quite figure out how to fix) and I've been distracting myself by writing Take the Key and Lock Her Up in Alexei's POV instead. But once my final exam is done, I'll have a 3-day weekend where I can sit down and edit the next 4 or 5 chapters, to ensure there won't be any more late chapters for the remainder of this year. The next chapter will for sure be up between Nov. 10 and Nov. 15 (really aiming to post it Nov. 10 or Nov. 11 so I can get it out before I'll be busy with studying again). My apologies and thank you for your patience and understanding. **


	12. Chapter 12 - The Truth

**Hey guys, hope you've had a good month! My apologies for the delay in posting this chapter. I explained it with an update to the end of chapter author's note in the previous chapter. But my final exam is done and I had a long weekend to chill out and get this chapter edited. This is a difficult chapter (in terms of emotional content) and I wanted to make sure I got it right. It still feels like something is missing but I wanted to get it posted before I got busy with studying. Read on for some tense conversations!**

* * *

**Gonna reply to reviews on the previous chapter, thanks so much to everyone who reviewed!**

**Guest: I'm glad you've been enjoying this story so far; there will be plenty more Gralexei scenes in the chapters to come! I hope this chapter finds you well!**

**Potato: I'm glad you enjoyed the previous chapter; I hope this one finds you well!**

**Guest: My apologies for not posting this chapter on time. Now it's up and I hope it finds you well!**

* * *

**Disclaimer****: I do not own the Embassy Row series and all the characters; they belong to Ally Carter. I am merely using her characters and plotline to create this fanfiction. This fanfiction is purely for entertainment purposes and would not exist without Ally Carter's wonderful works. **

**The events that happen in this fanfiction are not meant to be representative of real life. Any similarities to any real-life events or fictional works is purely coincidental and not intentional (with the exception of the original Embassy Row books by Ally Carter since this fanfiction is literally See How They Run but from Alexei's, not Grace's, perspective). The character's actions may not always reflect my own opinions or views. Based on what is mentioned in this chapter (spoiler alert), I do not condone murder or physical violence. **

**Trigger warning****: mild to moderate  
****This fanfiction is rated T, for suggestive themes, language, and violence. This chapter contains mild to moderate language and conversations about death. Read at your own discretion.**

* * *

Chapter Twelve: The Truth

I walked a shell-shocked Grace back to the American embassy in silence. There was a lost, vacant look in her eyes, making me wonder what was going on inside her head. She was no doubt processing what had just happened, down at the beach. How did she feel about losing Spence? Did she feel any pain? Maybe regret? Or just sadness? Surely, she had to feel something. After all, he had kissed her, a fact that I still wasn't willing to fully accept. Or maybe she was just relieved that it wasn't Jamie.

Grace had looked so panicked when she thought it was Jamie who had died. It had almost caused her to go into overdrive and have a mental breakdown at the beach. I feared that the longer she stayed silent, replaying that scene in her mind, the more likely she'd be to start having a mental breakdown. I looked over at Grace and sure enough, she had started trembling, as if she was getting close to losing her mind.

"Grace." I quickly put my hand on her arm, to steady her and hopefully calm her down. "It is okay."

"No," Grace said, shaking her head. "I thought it was him. I thought …"

"Jamie is safe," I reassured, letting her know everything was going to be okay.

"I know. It's just…" There had to be a lot on her mind right now. Whatever it was, I would help her get through it, one thing at a time.

We had reached the American embassy. I nodded at the marine who opened the gate for Grace, to let her back in. However, she simply stood there, like she was glued to the ground. Was she okay? Lost in thought for a second? Or had the reality of today's events finally hit her? I wanted to ask her what was going on but decided to stay silent, instead, gently putting my hand on her arm again, hoping that comforting gesture and my presence would be more than enough. However, Grace instantly jumped away from me, almost like she didn't want me here. So much for trying to comfort her.

"I'll call you later," Grace said, stepping through the narrow gate. To hell she wasn't. First off, I didn't even have her number, secondly, we barely spoke over the phone or on social media, and thirdly, there was no way in hell I was leaving her alone in this state, not when she looked like she was going to have a mental breakdown at any second.

"I'm not leaving you," I said, quickly reaching out before I could think. I felt something hard hit my hand. I looked down, surprised to find that I had caught the metal latch on the gate before she could pull it closed. Had something inside me, like my subconscious, known this wasn't over, making me act without conscious thought? Yet, taking in Grace now, I knew this wasn't the end. As I looked into her eyes, I knew that she was not okay and needed me more than ever.

"He won't take the news well." I stepped closer to her, staring her down.

"And that's why I'm not leaving you." If anything, Jamie would be the most upset about this. After all, Spence was his friend. Spence had trusted Jamie enough to go to Adria with him and now he was dead. I couldn't imagine how Jamie would feel upon finding out. If he were to lash out and do something violent, I had to be there to protect Grace, in case she fell into Jamie's path. I had to be the rational third party, or as best of a third party as I could be considering I was at the center of this mess. Yes, I was surprised to learn that Spence had died but it wasn't going to affect me emotionally, as I had no personal connection with him. However, Spence's death was going to have a much greater impact on both Jamie and Grace. I had to be there as the source of support for both of them.

As Grace headed towards the door, I took her hand in mine, following her without another word. There was no way I would let her go through this alone.

The foyer was dark as Grace and I stepped inside. She stopped suddenly, as if bracing herself for what was to come. I waited patiently, not letting go of her hand. I'd give her all the time she needed to come to terms with what had happened. She hadn't taken this easily and I knew things would only get worse once Jamie found out. When she was ready to take that step, I would be there for her. Once the news broke, I wasn't going to leave her side until both her and Jamie were okay.

"What's he doing here?" I immediately snapped out of my thoughts, looking around for the owner of the voice. After a moment, I spotted Jamie standing on the stairs, looking down at us. He looked mildly flushed and his hair was wet, like he had just gotten out of the shower. Then, I noticed the seething look in his eyes, staring me down from head to toe. Was he still mad at me, for last night? I wouldn't have been surprised if that was the case.

"There's something we need to talk about," I said, breaking the tense silence. Better to get it over with sooner rather than later. I glanced over at Grace, seeing if she was ready to break the news to Jamie.

"I'm not giving you my blessing," Jamie snapped, his eyes flicking down. I followed his gaze, realizing that my hand was still intertwined with Grace's. Would he really be so quick to jump to the conclusion that Grace and I had suddenly gotten together, especially after last night's dire events? Grace and I definitely weren't dating, especially after Jamie's warnings to Spence and I last night. I had promised Jamie that I would back off from Grace for the time being, even though the very thought of doing so shook me to the core. If our situation hadn't been so dire, or if my friendship with Jamie hadn't been so tense lately, I would have made a quip or a sarcastic joke. However, I feared that my friendship with Jamie had become permanently strained, due to what happened last night. I didn't think a sarcastic joke would be able to save me this time. I quickly let go of Grace's hand, to avoid fuelling the fire further.

"What?" Grace asked, clearly oblivious to the tension that had gone over her head. Despite everything she had seen, for a second, it still seemed like she was innocent when it came to relationship things. If only she was still as innocent as she appeared to be.

"Never mind," Grace continued. "Come on down, Jamie. We need to talk to you." Jamie sprinted down the stairs, glaring at me the whole time.

"If you've come to say you're sorry about last night, you can save your breath," Jamie said, walking right past us. His glare turned into a seething look as the distance between us narrowed. Clearly, he was still pissed at me for fighting with Spence over Grace and did not like the idea of me being in a relationship with his younger sister, even though Grace and I most definitely were not together. "You don't owe me an apology. You owe one to Spence, and he's not here. But as soon as he gets back –"

"Spence is dead," Grace blurted. I immediately winced, knowing this was not going to end well. I shouldn't have been surprised that she would break the news by speaking without thinking, as that was a very Grace thing to do. She instantly looked like she regretted it but it was too late. Now, it was out in the open and she couldn't take it back.

"What are you talking about, Gracie?" Jamie looked like he so desperately wanted Grace to be lying. It was evident from the look in his eyes, that he almost didn't want to believe her.

"Spence's body just washed ashore. I'm so sorry. He died."

"I don't know what you think you're saying, but –"

"Jamie. It's true," I interrupted. As much as it pained me to say it, I had to make Jamie see that Spence really had died and that Grace wasn't just making it up. At this point, I wasn't sure if he would listen to me. But I had to try, before Jamie could lash out at Grace and accuse her of making things up.

"No," Jamie said, shaking his head like he couldn't quite comprehend what he was hearing. "Spence is nineteen. He's not dead." Jamie probably thought he and Spence were invincible and unstoppable West Point cadets. However, even West Point cadets could be brought down by death.

"He is," Grace said, grabbing onto Jamie's shirt, like she was begging him to see that his friend really had died. "We were on the beach and…" However, she stopped mid-sentence, as she started shaking and trembling again. I instantly worried that she was going to have a mental breakdown. This was greatly affecting her mentally and emotionally and I knew it was taking everything in her to stay calm, collected, and sane for Jamie's sake.

"Blakely," she whispered, as I stepped closer to her. She was shaking even more now and I feared that she was in the throes of another mental breakdown. Was she still being haunted by thoughts of Jamie being dead?

"It's okay," I said, placing my hands on her shoulders and gripping her tight, hoping my touch could ground her and bring her back to her earth. "Breathe, Gracie. Breathe."

"Why is she saying that?" Jamie asked. Grace was still whispering _Blakely_ over and over, trapped in whatever she was seeing in her mind. I started rubbing circles on her back, hoping it would calm her down.

A random moment from last night suddenly popped into my head. I remembered noticing Spence's jacket and how Jamie's name was on the sleeve, instead of his. It seemed like such a small thing at the time, but now, I could see how it would have made such a difference. It was the difference between Grace having a brother or being an only child.

"Your friend must have been wearing your jacket," I said. "For a moment, she believed it was you."

"Shit," Jamie muttered, as if the realization was starting to dawn on him. He started moving towards Grace, as if he wanted to comfort her. I instantly stepped aside, figuring he would be a better support for her than I ever could. Besides, I was sure that Jamie wouldn't want me touching Grace any more, even if it was to comfort her.

"Gracie –"

"I'm okay," Grace said, like she was forcing the words out. "I'm fine." It was so evident to me that she wasn't fine but I appreciated her trying to stay strong for Jamie's sake. I wasn't sure if Jamie realized it too.

"Gracie, why would you say that Spence is dead?" Jamie sounded so incredulous, like he wasn't convinced, not even for a second. However, the longer it took him to accept the truth, the worse it would get. I felt like I was waiting for a time bomb to finally explode, just waiting for the moment that the truth would finally dawn on Jamie and hit him like a thousand bricks.

"_Because he is_. We were on the beach and … Jamie, his body washed ashore."

"I don't believe it," Jamie said, stepping back. "He's a US citizen. They would have told Grandpa. You have to be wrong."

"They haven't identified him yet. We just came from the beach. We were just there."

"No. No. You're _wrong._" I could see the fear in Jamie's face. He was obviously fighting so hard to not believe Grace. However, I felt that his subconscious already knew the truth; he just wasn't consciously ready for it.

"I'm so sorry."

"Did you see his face?" Jamie shouted. He was so close to blowing up now; I could practically feel it. Any second now, that ticking time bomb would explode and it wouldn't be pretty.

"He was wearing your jacket. That's why they thought his name was … It was him."

"It _wasn't._" The denial was evident in his voice. Yet, the longer he tried to deny it, the more the truth would hurt. I could only hope he would finally see the truth before he lashed out and hurt whoever was in his path. "It can't be –"

"James." I turned to find Ambassador Vincent walking into the foyer, the truth written all over his face, right down to the grave look in his eyes. I saw the exact moment Jamie's face turned to realization, the moment he finally realized Spence had died and that Grace hadn't been lying after all. And I watched with sadness as his face turned from shock to horror to anger to sorrow, finally letting out a pained, agonized scream.

* * *

Before long, Ms. Chancellor showed up to help Ambassador Vincent console a broken, screaming Jamie and a silent, shell-shocked Grace. As they led the Blakely siblings up the stairs, Ambassador Vincent gave me a quick nod of appreciation. I nodded back to him, taking that as my cue to leave. I headed out through the gates, looping back to the Russian embassy. As I approached Russia's gates, I noticed Princess Ann chatting with one of the guards. She smiled warmly when she saw me.

"Good morning, Your Highness," I said, bowing before her.

"Alexei, what a pleasure to see you. No need for the formalities, dear," she replied, with a laugh.

"Are you heading back to the palace?"

"Yes. I just called my guards. They'll be here any second to escort me back."

"I can escort you back, if you'd like."

"Thank you for the offer. Unfortunately, you know how it is with palace security. I can't go anywhere without my guards. Do you have a moment to chat though?"

"Of course." I didn't exactly have any other plans for the rest of my day.

"I just stopped by to congratulate your father on his new role as the Russian ambassador. I'm sure he'll do a fantastic job." Since when did my father talk to Princess Ann? I supposed this was part of his mission to strengthen ties with literally everyone in Adria.

"Thank you. I agree," I said diplomatically. Princess Ann suddenly gasped in horror.

"What happened, dear?" she asked, tenderly touching the burn on my arm.

"It's really stupid. I got into a fight at a party last night."

"Oh, did you?" Princess Ann asked, giving me an interested look.

"Yeah, like I said, it was really dumb," I said, looking down ashamedly. I wasn't in the mood to go into detail. Princess Ann stepped forward, tenderly touching my face and looking at me just like a mother would have done.

"It's alright, Alexei, you don't need to be ashamed. Boys do stupid things all the time. It's just part of growing up. One little fight isn't going to be catastrophic." I stayed silent. If my father found out about that fight, he would not be proud of me, to say the least. Besides, that fight wasn't just about me doing stupid things. It was about me being reckless and losing control of my emotions, over a girl, nonetheless. I couldn't let myself do something like that again, not when it could potentially cost me my life.

"Alexei, it's going to be okay," Princess Ann said, looking me right in the eye. There was something about the way she said it, maybe her tone of voice, that almost made me want to believe her. However, I couldn't stop replaying the fight in my head, analyzing every punch that I threw, every word that I said. Everything was not going to be okay and it was all because of that idiotic fight.

Yet, I forced myself to nod, swallowing the huge lump that had formed in my throat because standing in front of me was someone who still saw the good in me, despite everything I had done to prove otherwise, and was willing to help me get through this, even if all we had was this brief conversation. Princess Ann smiled.

"See, everything will get better. It always does." Her facial expression changed slightly, before she spoke again. "How's Jamie doing? I heard he got into Adria yesterday."

"He's a little … shaken at the moment." I saw a flash of something in her eyes. Panic? Or maybe it was fear? However, it disappeared quickly and her face was once again perfectly composed.

"Oh dear, what happened?"

"I'm not sure, to be honest. Jamie brought a friend with him to Adria. He just found out that his friend passed away." Princess Ann slowly nodded, as if processing what I had just said.

"That's terrible. I'll have to let Jamie know that he has my condolences," Princess Ann said. "When did this happen?"

"It must have been late last night or early this morning. I was with Grace when we found Jamie's friend dead on the beach an hour ago."

"Do you know what the cause of death was?"

"No, Grace and I couldn't get close enough to the body to tell. Grace was pretty shaken too, as she initially thought that Jamie was the one who had died."

"Oh, really? Did Jamie and his friend look alike, at all?" Come to think of it, did Jamie and Spence look alike? After a moment's thought, I decided they didn't.

"Not really. I think it was mostly because Jamie's friend was wearing Jamie's monogrammed jacket when the body was found." Princess Ann nodded in understanding.

"I can see why Grace would have gotten confused. I hope she's faring alright too."

"She was quite distressed, especially after breaking the news to Jamie."

"Was Grace close with Jamie's friend?"

"I don't know," I replied honestly. "It's … complicated." Princess Ann just gave me a knowing smile.

"What?" I asked, after a brief moment of silence. The look she had been giving me was kind of unsettling.

"You're jealous, aren't you?" Princess Ann asked, that same unsettling, knowing look on her face.

"No," I replied, a little too quickly.

"It's okay if you are," Princess Ann said, stepping closer. I could feel her eyes on me, like she was looking right through me, seeing into my soul. It made me feel uncomfortable, to the point of almost wanting to run away. "It happens to the best, and the worst, of us."

"Jealousy? That's why you got into the fight last night?" Princess Ann asked softly. I nodded, unable to look at her.

"It was so, so stupid," I muttered, still not looking at Princess Ann. "I found out Jamie's friend kissed Grace and I completely lost it. John Spencer, that was his name, although everyone called him Spence. I went right at him without second thought. The next thing I knew, we were brawling on the ground, unable to stop until Jamie and Grace pulled us apart. It was awful. I should have known better. Who knows what could have happened if Jamie hadn't been there? For all I know, I could have killed Spence, if it weren't for Jamie." Princess Ann nodded, as she listened to my words.

"Yet, don't you think it is a bit ironic that Jamie's friend was found dead this morning?" Princess Ann said. I looked at her in surprise. I had been expecting her to offer some words of sympathy or her condolences but certainly not that.

"He seemed just fine when we parted ways last night. A bit bruised and battered but fine," I asserted. "He is – was – a West Point cadet; a fight at a party was like child's play to him."

"You didn't give him any potentially life-threatening injuries during your fight?"

"No. No way. I may have given him a ton of bruises and a few cuts but nothing serious. No broken bones, no slit blood vessels, no punctured organs. Nothing that could have killed him."

"So he couldn't have died from the injuries you gave him."

"No. Something else must have happened to him. We made up later that night, after the fight. There's no way I would have hurt him again. You know how it is with guys, we fight then we make up. No harm done, no hard feelings." The princess simply nodded in understanding.

"It is quite unfortunate what happened to Spence then, especially since you seemed to end on good terms with him."

"I don't understand why someone would have killed him. He didn't do anything wrong. He had only been in Adria for less than twenty-four hours. Barely anyone would have known him, at least enough to have a reason to kill him. It must have been an accident. It had to have been an accident. There's no other way he could have died." I felt the emotions starting to bubble up inside of me. I forced myself to take a couple deep breaths, to calm myself down. I felt a comforting hand on my arm then found myself looking at Princess Ann.

"Alexei, it's going to be okay. This is beyond your control. It's not your fault Spence died." I slowly felt myself calming down, although that tiny storm of emotions was still churning inside me.

"Everything will be okay," Princess Ann said again. She gingerly gave me a hug, being mindful of all the cuts and bruises on my body.

"If you ever need someone to talk to, don't hesitate to let me know, okay?" I simply nodded in response.

"I mean it, Alexei, if you need someone, I'll be there," Princess Ann reiterated, looking me right in the eye.

"Thank you."

"Of course." Just then, a limo slowly rolled up to the curb of the embassy. Princess Ann's eyes flicked over to it before glancing back at me.

"Well, that's my ride. I'm afraid I must be on my way now. It was a pleasure to speak with you, Alexei," Princess Ann said, slipping back into her public role as the elegant princess of Adria. She graciously accepted the hand of the limo driver, who helped her inside the limo.

"Same here, Your Highness," I called out. She waved as the limo slowly pulled away. I waved back, watching as the limo took her back to the palace, a place full of fake smiles, forced encounters, and lies and deceits, a place where nothing was as it seemed to be.

* * *

**Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Next chapter will be up between Nov. 30 and Dec. 6. **

**So, word has gotten out about Spence's death. It'll only be a matter of time before it becomes public. What do you think will happen next? The next chapter will be a critical one, featuring everyone's favourite duo ;) **


	13. Chapter 13 - Bloody Murder

**Hey guys, happy December! I hope you've been doing well and that your holiday season is off to a good start! I have three more weeks of school left before winter break. Hoping I can squeeze in a bit of holiday fun, even with four exams and tons of little assignments. Anyways, I think you will like this chapter, since it's a pretty critical one. Read on for the big reveal, done by none other than everyone's favourite duo! ;)**

* * *

**Gonna reply to reviews on the previous chapter, thanks so much to everyone who reviewed!**

**Guest: I was trying to make this conversation really foreshadow-y and to make Ann really shady. I'll say Alexei was a bit too wrapped up in his own problems to notice it :P**

**Guest: That was my aim, for Alexei to think he was safe and keep talking. Little did he know just who was standing in front of him and their role in Spence's death…**

* * *

**Disclaimer****: I do not own the Embassy Row series and all the characters (except for Tanner and Jordan, who are my own creations). They belong to Ally Carter. I am merely using her characters and plotline to create this fanfiction. This fanfiction is purely for entertainment purposes and would not exist without Ally Carter's wonderful works. **

**The events that happen in this fanfiction are not meant to be representative of real life. Any similarities to any real-life events or fictional works is purely coincidental and not intentional (with the exception of the original Embassy Row books by Ally Carter since this fanfiction is literally See How They Run but from Alexei's, not Grace's, perspective). The character's actions may not always reflect my own opinions or views. Based on what happens in this chapter (spoiler alert), I do not condone physical violence, abuse, or murder. **

**Trigger warning: mild to moderate  
****This fanfiction is rated T, for suggestive themes, language, and violence. This chapter contains moderate language, physical violence, and mentions of murder. Read at your own discretion.**

* * *

Chapter Thirteen: Bloody Murder

I finished my cool-down stretches, feeling a slight burn in my muscles. It probably hadn't been the best idea to work out while I was still bruised and battered from my fight with Spence two nights ago. However, I wanted to keep my strength up and wasn't going to take a second day off from the gym. Besides, I was used to training while injured, thanks to my father. A little pain wasn't going to keep me out of the gym.

I wiped down the mat then grabbed my phone from the gym speakers. Once again, the gym had been completely empty, allowing me to blast my workout playlist. While it was nice having the whole gym to myself, it was also kind of unsettling, giving me a strange sense of déjà vu. I almost expected my father to show up at any moment, to torture me with impossible workouts and beat the shit out of me in sparring. Luckily, he never did, although I felt like it was a sign that something much worse was about to happen.

I walked out of the gym, heading up the back stairwell to my room. I passed one of the chefs and nodded a hello to him. He only gave me a wary look in return. That was strange. I was on friendly terms with all the staff at the embassy. Maybe he was just having a bad day.

However, I quickly realized that something was very amiss when I opened the door to my room and was met with three faces staring at me. "What?" I asked, having absolutely no idea what was going on.

"Bro, where the hell were you?" Jordan asked, looking up from his laptop.

"Working out," I said slowly, gesturing to my workout clothes and my water bottle.

"Really, bro, in that state?" Tanner asked, looking up from where he was sitting on the floor, leaning back against my bed. He gave me a once-over, clearly taking in every bruise and cut on my body.

"I'd have to agree with Tanner," Mikhail said, from his post at my desk chair. "Lyosha, you shouldn't have been working out, not with all your injuries."

"Oh, gang up against me, will you?" I muttered, setting my phone and my water bottle down on my desk. "Besides, I already took yesterday off. I wasn't going to take another day off from the gym."

"We don't want you hurting yourself anymore than you already are," Jordan said, looking concerned.

"Hey, it was just a light workout. Elliptical, some free weights, and a light punching bag sequence. Plus, I stretched before _and_ after working out," I refuted.

"'Light punching bag'," Tanner parroted, using air quotes. "As far as I was concerned, no punching bag workout was ever considered light."

"That's just because you're a weakling," I teased. However, I didn't get a sarcastic reply back, as expected. Something was definitely going on.

"Seriously, guys, is there something wrong? You're all being really quiet and acting really weird." I was met with dead silence and three pairs of eyes that refused to look at me.

"Okay, what the hell is going on?" I asked forcefully, my voice edged in anger.

"Did you watch my Snap story the other day?" Tanner asked, seemingly oblivious to my anger.

"Which one?" Tanner always uploaded multiple Snap stories every day. It was hard to keep track of them all, which I especially was not in the mood for right now.

"The one where you and Spence were beating the crap out of each other. I posted it the night of the party." Oh, that one.

"I quickly clicked through it."

"That explains why you didn't show up on the viewer list," Tanner said, shrugging. "Well, anyways, bro, we got good news and bad news." Before I could ask him what he meant, he continued talking. "The good news is that story made me Snapchat famous. It got over two million views in the twenty-four hours it was up. And that's not counting the seven million plus views on YouTube, where someone posted a screen recording of it." I had to resist the urge to roll my eyes. I was pretty sure that getting two million views on just one Snap story wasn't enough to render someone Snapchat famous. Besides, I honestly wouldn't have been surprised if Tanner had reposted his Snap story on YouTube himself, so it would live on forever.

"The bad news is that you're in it, and it isn't looking good for you," Jordan said, patting the spot next to him on the bed. I sat down, slightly apprehensive as I looked at his laptop. What I saw on the screen was the last thing I had ever expected to see. It was a page of YouTube search results. The first hit had over eight million views and was titled _Russian Ambassador's Son vs West Point Cadet (Repost from tannerpark836)._ That had the be the screen recording of Tanner's Snap story. As if the title wasn't bad enough, the thumbnail was even worse. I saw Jamie, holding Spence back, and Grace, holding me back. I had the most vicious look on my face as I glared at Spence. I swore in Russian, not believing what I had just seen.

"Bro, the thumbnail's not even the worst of it," Jordan said, clicking on the video. It buffered for a second then started playing. The first Snap was a selfie of Tanner with the caption "_lit party 2nite_". He had included the fire emoji and if I wasn't mistaken, the bonfire could vaguely be seen in the background. This was the Snap story I had quickly clicked through after coming home from the party. Now, it looked like I was going to have to watch it in full.

The next few clips were short videos from the party, with hit songs playing and people dancing. The screen quickly switched to a short clip of Tanner, singing along to the one of the hottest new pop songs.

"_Whoo, this party is lit!_" video Jordan exclaimed in the background, video-bombing Tanner's Snap. The two of them exchanged a look before clinking their red plastic cups. I knew those cups didn't contain any alcohol though. There was no way Lila would allow alcohol at any of her parties.

However, the happy, fun clips of a summer party soon morphed into clips of Spence and I going at each other. It started with a very flattering clip of Spence and I rolling out of the trees and onto the beach. That was followed by more clips of us fighting, each of us desperately trying to gain the upper hand. I heard my tortured, pained screams in Russian, calling Spence a few choice words, thanks to what he had done to Grace.

"Was it really necessary to call him that?" Mikhail asked, wincing at what he had just heard.

"Call him what?" Tanner asked. Jordan paused the video and the two of them expectantly looked at Mikhail and I.

"Care to translate?" Jordan asked, raising an eyebrow at us. Mikhail and I looked at each other. He gave me a warning look but didn't say anything. I sighed and explained to Tanner and Jordan what I had called Spence, translating it as best as I could since there wasn't a direct English translation. The two of them just stared at me in utter shock.

"Damn, bro… you seriously have one hell of a possessive side," Tanner said. I just glared at him. No matter what they thought, I did not have a possessive side.

"Yeah, right," Jordan replied, shaking his head. Damn it, I must have vocalized my thoughts. If I could, I would punch myself for being so stupid.

"Just play the video again," I sighed. I wanted to get through the rest of Tanner's Snap story without anymore comments about my feelings for Grace. Jordan obediently unpaused the video so we could continue watching Spence and I beat the crap out of each other. It was so strange seeing the fight from an outside perspective. In that moment, I had been so focused on beating up Spence that I didn't care what I looked like. The only objective had been to absolutely destroy him. However, looking in from the outside, I could practically feel the rage radiating off me. It was almost like watching a stranger, except I could distinctly remember what it was like, being in that moment.

The real kicker though was watching the end of the fight. I watched as Grace, tiny as she was, pulled me away from Spence.

"_Touch her again, and I will kill you. Do you hear me? I'll kill you!_" I winced as I heard video me shouting that, loud and clear. The pure rage was so evident, lending a harsh edge to my words. I barely recognized myself, shouting those words with the most violent look on my face.

The rest of Tanner's Snap story was clips of him heading back to Valancia, with a couple dejected selfies thrown in. When the video finally ended, I glanced around at Tanner, Jordan, and Mikhail.

"That wasn't as bad as I thought it would be," I admitted. On the one hand, it wasn't ideal that a record of my questionable actions was available online. However, it was just a dumb party fight; how much damage could it possibly have caused?

It was only then that I noticed the query typed in the YouTube search bar:_ Murdered West Point Cadet Brutally Attacked and Threatened by Russian Ambassador's Son_. I cursed in Russian as I read it. How could people possibly have come to that conclusion, just from a stupid party fight? I never would have killed Spence. Sure, we might not have started out on the friendliest terms but we were cool by the end of the night. And then, he ended up dead.

"This is a sentence I never thought I'd be saying but that mouth of yours has gotten you into some serious shit," Jordan said warily. I thought back to the query typed into the YouTube search bar and immediately shook my head.

"How? There's no way I would have killed Spence. Do I look like a murderer to you?!" I exclaimed.

"Well, you sure as hell did when you were spouting nonsense about killing him," Tanner said. He cleared his throat then put on a very bad Russian accent, in what was likely supposed to be an imitation of me. "'_Touch her again, and I will kill you. Do you hear me? I'll kill you!_' Those words ring a bell at all?"

"Look, I have no idea what you're getting at but if you seriously think I murdered Spence, then you must be delusional," I retorted.

"Never said you did," Jordan said, holding up his hands in defense.

"Only… the news stations beg to differ," Mikhail said warily. He turned on the TV in my room. One of the local news stations popped up. Sure enough, the headline at the bottom of the screen matched the YouTube search query on Jordan's laptop. I watched in horror as a video of the fight played on the screen, with a news reporter droning on about my supposed role in Spence's death.

"What the hell…" I muttered, unable to take my eyes off the screen.

"I could say the same thing," Tanner said. "There's even a _Buzzfeed_ article about this. Not to mention all the other news outlets that have been writing about this. _Damn_, bro, you really screwed up this time." No kidding I had. Shit was real whenever it reached Buzzfeed, as it was essentially the peak of being viral. Clearly, I had no idea just how much one stupid party fight, over a girl nonetheless, would come back to bite me in the ass, and big-time.

"Does my father know?" I asked Mikhail.

"I'm not sure," Mikhail said nervously, "although he's bound to find out sooner or later. I can't imagine he'd be pleased about it." If my father found out, he was definitely going to be at my throat, and then some. I wouldn't be surprised if he sent me to my deathbed.

"Damn, I definitely do not wanna be there when that happens," Tanner said, shaking his head.

"In all seriousness, how are you going to prove you're innocent?" Jordan asked. "The three of us know you wouldn't do such a thing, but the rest of the world won't be easily convinced."

"And that video evidence was pretty incriminating. It'll be hard to refute something like that," Mikhail added.

"Hey, I was there when Spence's body washed ashore. I was just as surprised as everyone else," I said, trying to stay in control of my emotions.

"Were you?" Tanner asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Look, you'd be surprised too if the guy you had beat up the other night wound up dead the next morning and it wasn't due to the injuries you'd given him!" I snapped, unable to keep my anger in any longer. When I finally looked up, I found that everyone had been stunned into silence by my sudden outburst. Great.

"Okay, chill, we get it," Jordan said, breaking the silence. "So now what, Alexei? You get taken into the police for questioning, get a trial, maybe spent a bit of time in juvie?" The thought of getting a trial and going to prison, for something I didn't do, terrified me. Yes, I was more than capable of holding my own, if my fight with Spence was any indication. But against delinquent teenage criminals who had spent years in gangs and were well-versed with the prison system? That was a whole other story.

"In the end, it'll be up to your father and law enforcement," Mikhail said, providing a reassuring voice of reason. "Since you're still underage, your father will decide what to do with you. I imagine he'd want to get as much protection for you as possible."

"Yeah, right. He'd send me to the wolves if he could," I muttered. I seriously doubted my father would be willing to protect me. If anything, he'd only do it to salvage his own reputation and that of the embassy. He never did, and never would, care about what happened to me.

"Lyosha, you're still innocent until proven guilty," Mikhail said, looking me right in the eye. "You're still safe."

"For now," I muttered. It was going to be difficult to go against the video, especially with the lack of other evidence. I couldn't see how there was any way to prove that I was innocent, not without finding Spence's actual killer. As far as I was concerned, my life was pretty much ruined.

"Hey, we got you," Tanner said, in a surprisingly reassuring tone. "Bros for life, right?"

"We're not leaving your side. We're going through this together, okay?" Jordan echoed fiercely, looking at me.

"Okay," I replied, doing my best to give them a brave smile. Tanner got up to give me a guy hug. Jordan quickly followed, wrapping the three of us in some weird embrace. However, we were interrupted by the sound of my bedroom door suddenly being thrown open, so hard that it hit the nearby wall. We instantly stepped apart. I looked around, confused, until I laid eyes on my father. He was absolutely infuriated, the expression on his face murderous. He looked right at me, his eyes seething.

"Alexei. In my office. Now."

* * *

I walked behind my father as we made our way to his office, my head hung down in shame. He didn't say a word to me the whole time, but it was so evident he was angry at me. Even the guard that stood in front of the door seemed angry at me. It was extremely unsettling.

My father pushed open the large, stately doors to the ambassador's office. It was weird to think that this office now belonged to him. It was sparsely furnished, without a single hint of any personal decorations. In a way, it fit my father's cold, emotionless personality quite nicely.

My father walked right over to the window, taking a moment to stare outside. I had no idea what he was doing but didn't dare speak or sit down.

"I have no words," my father said quietly, his back still to me. He suddenly turned, shoving me back hard. I hit the wall with a resounding thud. I barely had time to react before my father threw a couple punches at me. I weakly put up a defensive stance, only to get a knee to the groin, followed by a sharp kick to the side. Before I knew what was happening, I was pinned down on the ground, forced to stare into my father's seething eyes. I was glad that the ambassador's office was practically soundproof; otherwise, I was pretty sure my screams of pain would have been heard throughout the whole floor.

"What were you thinking?!" my father roared. "Were you out of your mind?" I was about to reply but a murderous glare from my father silenced me.

"I do not know what is more idiotic, having public evidence of a fight or getting accused of murder. Assuming you are innocent in the first place." I stayed silent, not sure what to say. My father glared at me, clearly waiting for my response.

"I did not murder John Spencer," I meekly managed to get out.

"The news reports beg to differ," my father said flatly. "I do not care if you murdered John Spencer or not. Rather, I am disappointed in you for letting that American girl corrupt your mind. I thought being in Moscow would clear your head and bring you to your senses. When I saw you with that blonde girl in Moscow, I thought you had realized on your own that the American girl is a trouble maker. Yet, first thing you do when you get back, you get into a fight, with another man, over the American girl! We have been back in Adria less than forty-eight hours and I've already had to deal with countless news reporters asking to speak to you. Do you know how frustrating that is?"

"I wouldn't mind speaking to them," I eked out, before my father silenced me with another death glare.

"You are not speaking to any of them." I looked up at my father, confused. Of course I had to speak to the reporters. How else were they going to learn the truth?

My father suddenly stood up, releasing his death grip on me. I slowly sat up, watching as he rummaged around in his desk. He pulled out a stack of papers and threw them at me. I picked up that landed closest to me and quickly flipped through it. It was a document outlining diplomatic immunity and any exceptions that could be made.

"You should be grateful that I am now the highest ranking official within the embassy. My diplomatic immunity extends over to you. Because of that, you cannot be forced into a trial or face arrest, assuming you did murder John Spencer. The worst that can happen to you is an expulsion from Adria, although I am sure you would not wish for that." He gave me a pointed look, emphasizing the implication of his words. If I were to be expelled from Adria, I wouldn't ever be able to see Tanner or Jordan or any of my other Adrian friends, not unless they left Adria. My life as I knew it would essentially be over, a thought that left me feeling sick to my stomach.

"For now, I will speak to the reporters and declare your diplomatic immunity. That should give the embassy enough time to figure out what to do with you." My father lit a cigarette, without even bothering to open a window. Then again, this was his office; he could do whatever the hell he wanted in here, including beat me up.

"So what will happen to me?" I asked. I hated how I sounded so weak but that was my current reality. I had disappointed my father by messing up not only his new position as the ambassador but his new reputation and potentially that of the embassy's. My father took a long, slow drag of his cigarette before answering.

"That will be up to you. You are seventeen. You are old enough to decide what should happen to you. After all, only you know for sure whether or not you killed John Spencer."

"I already said I didn't!" I snapped, doing a terrible job at holding my emotions in.

"You may say you did not kill John Spencer but you could be lying. That is for you to know and the rest of the world to decide." There was something off about my father's tone of voice, something that rubbed me the wrong way.

"Shouldn't you decide what happens to me? I'm still underage," I pointed out.

"It does not matter. Regardless of what you decide to do, we cannot salvage our diplomatic relations with the United States. Your actions, or lack thereof have fractured what little ties we had left." My father turned his back to me, focusing his attention out the window. He took another long drag of his cigarette before speaking again. "On the streets right now, there are many news reporters, waiting to snatch up any tidbits they can glean. There are mobs, aiming to seek vengeance for the death of a murdered West Point cadet. They will not stop until they get what they want. None of them care about truth or justice. None of them care about doing the right thing. They simply want their own aims fulfilled. Those people out there do not care about what will happen to you. Therefore, it does not matter what you decide to do. If you choose to retain your diplomatic status or renounce it. If you choose to accept time in prison or fight against it. If you choose to stay in Adria or go back to Moscow. If you choose to end this as quickly as possible or drag it out for all eternity. It does not matter to anyone out there, or to me."

"You're my father! Shouldn't you be helping me make my decisions and figure out the best course of action?" I pleaded, unable to hold my emotions in. No matter how much I resented my father for everything that he had done to me over the years, he was still the one person who was supposed to care for me. There was still a tiny part of me, leftover from my childhood days, that longed for my father's love and approval. Unfortunately, I really should have known better than to think my father would finally come through for me after all these years.

"I was not the one who was idiotic enough to publicly engage in a fight or to be accused of murder." My father put out his cigarette. He sharply turned towards me, a cold look on his face. "Therefore, it is not my decision to make."

* * *

**Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I will try my hardest to get the next chapter up on Dec. 20 (give or take a day based on time zones), before I get busy with my winter break activities. If it's not up then, it will be posted between Jan. 4 and Jan. 10 (but I really want to get it posted Dec. 20 so you won't be left hanging for the entirety of December). **

**So it looks like the cat is out of the bag. What do you think will happen next? **


	14. Chapter 14 - All Hell Has Broken Loose

**Hey guys, I hope you've had a good December! It's been a crazy few weeks for me, with four exams over the span of two weeks. Had a jam-packed day as I wrote my last exam in the morning, got packed and sorted for my trip, then edited this chapter as fast as I could (so it's probably not of the same quality as the other chapters I've posted - I honestly feel like it's kinda rushed). But I didn't want to leave you all hanging over the holidays so I decided to get this edited and posted (that way, it'd be done with and I wouldn't have to worry about it). If I have time later, I'll likely go back and edit this chapter better. Hopefully, it's pretty decent as it is!**

* * *

**Gonna reply to reviews on the previous chapter, thanks so much to everyone who reviewed!**

**Guest13: Seems like your prediction is pretty close to what I've actually written (if I can remember all the details correctly)! I guess we'll see once I start posting the later chapter of On the Run :P Happy holidays to you too! I celebrate Christmas but I try to be non-denominational with my holiday greetings.**

**Potato: Lots of great scenes there, including a couple that I've really put a twist on in Alexei's POV! Stay tuned to find out ;)**

* * *

**Disclaimer****: I do not own the Embassy Row series and all the characters (except for Tanner and Jordan, who are my own creations). They belong to Ally Carter. I am merely using her characters and plotline to create this fanfiction. This fanfiction is purely for entertainment purposes and would not exist without Ally Carter's wonderful works. **

**The events that happen in this fanfiction are not meant to be representative of real life. Any similarities to any real-life events or fictional works is purely coincidental and not intentional (with the exception of the original Embassy Row books by Ally Carter since this fanfiction is literally See How They Run but from Alexei's, not Grace's, perspective). The character's actions may not always reflect my own opinions or views. Based on what happens or is mentioned in this chapter (spoiler alert), I do not condone physical violence, sexual assault, or abusive relationships. **

**Trigger warning****: moderate  
****This fanfiction is rated T, for suggestive themes, language, and violence. This chapter contains mild to moderate language, physical violence, and mentions of alcohol, abusive relationships, and sexual assault. Read at your own discretion.**

* * *

Chapter Fourteen: And All Hell Has Broken Loose

My father stormed out of his office, leaving nothing but the smell of cigarette smoke in his wake. I stared at the closed door in disbelief, unable to comprehend what my father had said to me. I knew I had disappointed him but was that enough to make him ashamed of me? However, my father's reputation meant so much to him, perhaps even more than me. Even little things that I had done, such as dancing with Grace, had supposedly ruined his reputation. With everything that had happened at the party and the way I had royally screwed up, surely, my father's reputation had to be on the line. Perhaps my father was right; my inability to control my emotions really had led to my downfall. After all, the fight with Spence, his subsequent death, and my murder accusation wouldn't have happened if I hadn't gotten so upset about Spence kissing Grace. Maybe I should have worked harder on controlling my emotions, like my father had suggested so many times. However, it was too late for that now. There was no way I could undo the fight and Spence's death, as much as I would have liked to. All I could do now was deal with the damage and find the best way to smooth things over.

I walked out of my father's office and headed back to my room. When I walked in, Tanner, Jordan, and Mikhail were all sitting silently. Tanner immediately stood up and gave me a hug. "It was bad." That was a statement, not a question.

"You have no idea," I muttered.

"Doesn't matter, we got you," Tanner said, before letting me go.

"I don't suppose your dad gave you any words of wisdom," Jordan commented.

"Nope. He basically told me to go to hell, but with more words. According to him, I messed up so it's up to me to decide what I want to do," I replied. Mikhail shook his head, clearly disapproving of my father's treatment of me.

"Looks like he's going for that whole 'control your own destiny' vibe," Tanner mused.

"In all honesty, I'm pretty sure my father has just given up on me and doesn't give a shit about what I do. He told me he was ashamed of me," I said, shuddering at the memory.

"Damn, bro, that's harsh," Jordan said sympathetically.

"Wouldn't your parent say that too if they found out you were accused of murder?" I said, a bit too harshly. "I deserve it though. I really messed up."

"Lyosha, please don't say that about yourself," Mikhail said. He pulled me into a comforting hug. "Things happen. It's not your fault."

"Shit happens," Jordan added. "If you're really looking for someone to point fingers at, blame the media for taking things out of proportion."

"Speaking of which, they're all wanting to talk to me," I said.

"Really?" Tanner exclaimed, like a child on Christmas Day. He rushed towards the window, eagerly looking out of it. "Damn, you weren't kidding, bro. Those crowds are freaking massive." My curiosity getting the better of me, I headed to the window. Tanner wasn't kidding. I spotted a sea of news reporters and even more mobsters, no doubt seeking vengeance for Spence's death. In their minds, an American citizen had died on foreign soil, supposedly at the hands of a Russian diplomat. There was every reason for them to seek vengeance.

"So are you going to talk to them?" Jordan asked, joining Tanner and I at the window.

"No way. Father's orders," I replied.

"Besides, it looks like your dad's doing a damn good job of scaring them all away," Tanner mused. Sure enough, my father was outside, at the centre of all the reporters. He was likely telling them about my diplomatic immunity. Yet, soon enough, I'd be the one out there, telling them what I had decided to do. That thought scared me. I had no idea how I was going to fix this mess but all I knew was that it would not go down very well. It would be nothing like my father's polished, poised speech he was currently feeding all the reporters. I wondered if he would lie about me or if he was going to speak the truth and only the truth. To be honest, I wouldn't be surprised if he slipped in a few deprecating lies here and there.

"Either way, you'll need to be careful out there, Alexei," Mikhail said, joining the three of us at the window.

"I will," I said. However, I had no idea how I was going to navigate my way through the next few days. All I knew was that I somehow had to stay alive.

"Despite everything you might say or do, it's not going to change their minds," Mikhail replied. "If anything, it'll only cause the mobs to protest more." He glanced down at the crowds gathered around the American embassy. Some of them were holding signs, others were screaming and making noise. Their end goal was the same though; they all wanted me dead, to avenge Spence's death.

"Well, if that's the case, I'll just leave before they start protesting for my death because I'm friends with Alexei. No offense, by the way," Tanner said. I just glared at Tanner, although I knew he didn't have bad intentions.

"Same here, bro," Jordan said. "The last thing I need is to be late to work because I got stuck in a crazy, death-avenging mob." He checked the time on his phone, suddenly becoming panicked. "Oh shit, my shift starts in 10 minutes. I gotta run. See you later."

"I'll take that as my cue to leave too. I'll text you," Tanner said. The two of them made their getaway, leaving Mikhail and I in my room.

"How are you feeling, after everything earlier?" Mikhail asked. I sat down on my bed, still unable to wrap my head around what my father had done to me in his office. Mikhail sat down next to me, not saying a word. I knew he was waiting until I was ready to talk, which I always appreciated. Sometimes, it was so hard to talk about my father because of the unbelievable things he did to me.

"I – it was awful," I managed to get out.

"Do you want to talk about it?" I just looked at Mikhail, who gave me a non-judgmental look. I recounted everything that had happened in my father's office, right down to the little details of how he had beat me up. When I finished, I looked down in shame.

"Lyosha, you're shaking." I didn't register anything, until Mikhail wrapped his arms around me. I instantly melted under his comforting touch. Had all the years of abuse I endured under my father finally caught up to me, now that my life was on the line? I thought of all the times I had held Grace when she was shaking, willing her to calm down from her mental breakdowns. Now I was the one in desperate need of comforting. It was odd how the roles had reversed.

"It's like… it's like my father doesn't care about me anymore. He didn't seem concerned about my fate at all." Mikhail pulled me close to him, his presence comforting me.

"I know, Lyosha," Mikhail said quietly, sadness in his voice. "But I care. I won't let you go through this alone, okay? Any decision you make, I'll support you." I just nodded, unable to say anything.

"Have I ever told you about the fights your father used to get into?" I looked up at Mikhail, surprised as to why he was bringing it up. He had mentioned it a few times but never went in depth.

"There was one fight in particular that really made your father's name and reputation," Mikhail continued. That got my attention. My father never mentioned much about his past to me.

"I had been with the Russian Special Forces for a few years. We had been stationed in Adria to investigate a government conspiracy and to help them cover it up." I couldn't help but raise my eyebrows in surprise. Adria was known to be the squeaky-clean, diplomatic nation. Of course, I should have known that it had a shady past to cover up too.

"I know what you're thinking, Lyosha." Mikhail looked right at me, as if he was reading my mind. "But that's besides the point. Anyways, one night, a bunch of us headed to one of the local bars for a few drinks. It was pretty busy but because we were newcomers, we attracted attention and landed prime seats.

"We were on an undercover mission but that didn't stop your father from wearing his military jacket. That caught the attention of many women in the room, including your mother. He flirted with many of them before eventually talking to Karina. He was quite taken with her right away and offered to buy her a drink. She was pretty shy and refused but that didn't stop your father from pursuing her. He kept talking to her and complimenting her. Back then, she had long, wavy, dark hair that went all the way to her waist. Your father was absolutely in love with that hair and wouldn't stop playing with it.

"Over the course of a few drinks, they had warmed up to each other. Karina had opened up and Sergei was getting flirtier, touching her arm and showering her with compliments. Unfortunately, that caught the attention of another man, who I initially presumed was one of Karina's exes or a casual fling. He marched right up to Sergei, demanding what he was doing. Since Sergei was a little drunk, he gave a snarky reply, before touching Karina's arm again and giving her another flirty look.

"Clearly, that wasn't what the man wanted to hear. He immediately pulled Karina away from Sergei's touch. He pushed her down onto the bar counter, knocking over glasses, and proceeded to kiss and grope her in public, like he owned her. It was a horrific sight. Almost everyone in the bar froze, not sure what to do. But not Sergei. He immediately leapt into action, pulling that man off Karina and throwing him onto the floor. Everyone gasped in horror. But that man just picked himself off the floor, swinging at Sergei and yelling about how Karina was his. That was all that was needed to start a fight, the two of them rapidly exchanging blows. Even though they were both drunk, it was clear that man was no match for Sergei. Your father was one of the best fighters in our unit. He was absolutely livid at that man for assaulting Karina in public and absolutely pummeled him.

"It didn't take Sergei long to break that man's nose then his wrist. I'm pretty sure he would have broken that man's arm or leg, or killed him, if the bar owner hadn't intervened, kicking them out for causing a scene. Many of the locals flocked to that man, to make sure he was okay, as he laid on the floor battered and bruised. Your father just scoffed at that man before walking out, his head held high. I followed Sergei out, to make sure he was okay. He was fine, aside from a few bruises and cuts.

"But what I didn't expect was for Karina to run out after us, to make sure your father was okay. She stopped us in our tracks, thanking your father for saving her. It turned out her parents had arranged for her to marry that man and he had been abusive towards her in the time they had been together. That night, Sergei invited her to stay with him. For the rest of our time in Adria, he was with her whenever he wasn't on duty. Their relationship blossomed very fast and when we went back to Russia, Karina came with us. I was surprised but deep down, I had predicted that, given how smitten they had been with each other. It wasn't long before they got married and then you came along," Mikhail finished, looking right at me. I looked in Mikhail in surprise, as I took this all in. I had never known how my parents had met but I never expected it to be like that. Maybe my father and I were more similar than I realized.

"Anyways, my point is, your father has gotten into public fights too, even to the point of threatening to kill the other man," Mikhail said, before he turned to look out the window. "Only thing is, back then, the Internet wasn't widespread yet and barely anyone had a cell phone. Not like today, where everyone has a smartphone. So even though your father may have done just what you did, or worse, there's no evidence of it, only the tales from the people who were physically there."

"If I were your father, I would have sat you down and talked this out, to help you get your way through this mess," Mikhail said, squeezing my shoulder. Once again, I wished Mikhail was my actual father. "Would you like to do that now?"

"Thanks for the offer. I think I'll be alright for now," I replied. Mikhail nodded in understanding. This was a decision I'd have to make on my own. I just needed the time to gather my thoughts before coming to a final conclusion.

"Of course. If you need someone to talk to, I'm here. You know where to find me," Mikhail said. I nodded my thanks, grateful that Mikhail was so understanding. He gave me one last smile before walking out of my room, leaving me alone with my thoughts. My mind was spinning and I knew I'd need a good amount of alone time to sort out my thoughts.

However, my growling stomach made me realize I had other priorities to deal with first. I walked down to the kitchen, grabbing a plate of leftovers. I also made myself an acai, pomegranate, and berry smoothie with a dash of protein powder, to refuel after my workout. I took my food over to one of the conference rooms on the second floor, hoping the change in environment and lack of distractions would help me process my thoughts better.

I sat down, taking in the gorgeous view of Valancia through the floor to ceiling windows of the conference room. From where I was, the mobs were almost invisible, their chants just a faint hum in the background. If I closed my eyes, for a second, I could think that they weren't there and that my life wasn't the wreck it currently was. I ate my food, without really tasting it. Even though I had been ravenous, I didn't have much of an appetite, thanks to everything that had happened with my father.

After eating, I started pacing, unable to sit still for long. Staying in one place wasn't helping me sort out my thoughts. Instead, it just caused them to build up, swirling around in my head. I peered out the windows, just barely see the mobs and the news reporters from where I was. My father likely would have told them about my diplomatic immunity earlier. That would prevent me from going through any questioning, even by the most specialized agents, as my father had said. There was no way that I could be arrested, unless I renounced my diplomatic status.

I suddenly stopped in my tracks, hit with inspiration. What if I gave up my diplomatic status, thus giving up my diplomatic immunity? Doing so would allow me to go through questioning and prove to the world that I was innocent. I had nothing to hide and had done nothing wrong. I wouldn't be able to share my side of the story or keep it real if I hid behind a veil of diplomatic immunity.

With my diplomatic immunity intact, the mobs would continue chanting and protesting, begging for vengeance for the unfair death of an American citizen. I would continue to be a target until I renounced my diplomatic status. If I did that, there was always the chance that I would be unable to regain my diplomatic status. However, that didn't really matter to me.

The more I thought about it, the more that renouncing my diplomatic status seemed like a good idea. I was sure that my friends were bound to disagree with me. After all, having diplomatic status was a privilege. It seemed counterintuitive to want to give it up. However, I had already messed things up so much; it only made sense for me to sacrifice myself to fix them and make everything right again. I didn't care if I had to renounce my diplomatic status, get arrested, or face banishment from Adria to do so. As long as the mobs decided that Spence's death had been avenged properly and my father and the Russian embassy gained their status and reputation back, then no one would care what happened to me after that. Therefore, it wouldn't matter if I renounced my diplomatic status and never got it back. I was prepared to lose it, if necessary. It seemed like an appropriate price to pay for losing control of my emotions and causing a very public, international incident. I had really messed up and it was only right that I got the appropriate punishment. Besides, it was the honourable thing to do. After all, this was Adria, where every little thing reflected back on the embassy. Therefore, I had to give up my own status and reputation, if it meant restoring my father's reputation and that of the embassy's.

As I paced in front of the windows, trying to sort out my thoughts, the streets had progressively been getting busier. With a start, I realized it was the start of the Festival of the Fortnight. Tonight was the bonfire at the palace, where all of Valancia would be gathered to watch the royal family set fire to the wreaths, the representation of the start of the War of the Fortnight.

When I spotted Grace, Megan, and Noah walking on the street, I had no doubts that they were heading to the bonfire. I wondered if they were thinking about me, wondering why I wasn't joining them. If they looked up, they would see me, watching, observing. I stared them down, hoping that would be enough of a telepathic message to get them to look my way. Unsurprisingly, Noah and Megan walked on. However, Grace turned back, looking right up at me. Had my telepathic message gotten through to her? Or maybe she had somehow known that I was up here. I stared down into her eyes, raising my hand at her. I wasn't quite sure what it was, not a wave nor a salute. If anything, it was a last goodbye to her, in case I had to leave Adria by renouncing my diplomatic status. It was my wish for her to stay safe, so that she wouldn't be caught in my downfall. She barely looked at me though, forcing her gaze straight ahead, like she was rejecting my wishes for her to stay safe. Then again, this was Grace. Of course she was going to get in more trouble, even if I willed her to stay out of harm's way. The only way she'd potentially listen to me was if I spoke to her in person. And if I had to leave Adria soon, then I might not get that chance ever again. I had to let her know what I was doing, before it was too late.

I quickly finished the last remains of my smoothie. I dropped my dishes off at the kitchen then headed back up to my room, to grab my phone and my wallet. Without a second thought, I snuck out through the back stairwell. I climbed over the wall and took a back route to the palace. The last thing I needed was for the mobs to catch sight of me and start attacking me, or for my father to catch me going out without his permission and beat me up for it. Yet, I doubted my father would have cared much about my whereabouts now. As far as I knew, he had pretty much given up all concern for me as soon as he saw that I was on international news.

I reached the palace just as the royal family was walking out, to collect the wreaths. I stood in a nearly deserted spot, trying to keep my head down and my eyes to myself. I regretted not bringing a hoodie or a baseball cap, something that could cover my eyes and my face. Belatedly, I realized I was still wearing my workout clothes and hadn't bothered to change or shower. I hoped I'd be able to find Grace and get home before anyone recognized me or worse, tried to hurt me.

I watched as the royal family carried the wreaths towards the palace, fascinated by the history and tradition behind the bonfire. This was probably the first year I had gone alone, letting me fully take everything in.

The king lit his wreath on fire. I was mesmerized by the way the fire moved and danced, eating up everything in its path and sending sparks into the night sky, turning it into an endless red and orange sea. The fires would create a massive bonfire, which according to Adrian tradition, would burn for fourteen days, corresponding to the fourteen days of the War of the Fortnight.

I was so caught up by the fire that I hadn't noticed the crowd dissipating around me. I quickly remembered why I was here in the first place. Grace. I had to find her and let her know I'd be renouncing my diplomatic status. I pushed my way through the crowd, keeping my eyes low. I tried not to look suspicious, as I scanned the crowd for her dirty blonde hair. I spotted Megan and Noah and started heading toward them. However, I suddenly realized Grace wasn't with them. I tried to push my way towards them but quickly lost sight of them as the crowd shifted around us. I heard fireworks going off in the distance but barely paid attention to them. I had to find Grace. I suddenly spotted her standing by herself, in the thick of the crowd.

"Grace!" I called out, trying to get her attention. She didn't seem to hear me, so I tried again. "Grace!" She turned to continue weaving her way through the crowd, allowing me a brief glimpse of her face. In that instant, I knew something was wrong. Was something scaring her, enough to trigger a mental breakdown? I had to get to her before she started losing it in the middle of the crowded street.

"Grace!" I forced my way through the crowd, not caring who I bumped into, even with the disgruntled groans behind me. Grace's safety was my utmost concern right now; I had to make sure she was alright. After what felt like an eternity of pushing through people, I finally reached her. I placed my hand on her arm, turning her away from the crowd and towards me.

"Grace, are you okay?" She looked up at me, the look on her face changed from panic to fear.

"What are you doing here?"

"I was getting ready to ask you the same question," I replied, with a shrug. "Where are Noah and Megan?" I looked around, hoping they would have doubled back after realizing Grace wasn't with them. Unfortunately, I didn't catch any sight of them.

"I'm not sure," Grace said, shaking her head. "We must have gotten separated and I … I was going home."

"Yes. We must get you home." I had to make sure she was back in the safety of the American embassy in case another mental breakdown hit.

"And you," Grace said, looking up at me, "You shouldn't have come, Alexei." I suddenly felt a shift in the atmosphere. My name was all over international news; just one mention of it and people would go crazy. Like the man quickly approaching Grace and I. So much for not attracting attention to myself.

"Hey, I know you," he said. I had never seen him before but I knew what he wanted, just by the look in his eyes. Vengeance. He was drunk, which would only make him more violent. I had to get Grace and myself out of the streets, and fast. The police were on patrol, as they always were during the Festival of the Fortnight but there was no way anyone of them would be willing to help us out. If anything, they would just want to turn me in or take me in for questioning. It looked like Grace and I would be on our own.

I quickly reached for Grace's hand so I wouldn't get separated from her. She seemed to sense what I was thinking.

"Let's get out of here," Grace said to me in Adrian. I nodded and we started heading down the hill that led back towards the embassies. However, the man from before immediately blocked our path. I quickly turned, to find another way to get back to the embassies before realizing we had been surrounded. A couple of the men held torches, like they were ready to light Grace and I on fire.

"Well, what do we have here?" the drunk man asked. He appeared to be the ringleader of the group around us. His eyes suddenly landed on me, taking me in as if I was prey and he was the predator. "You're him." There was no question who he was referring to. The person who, in his eyes, had brutally attacked and murdered an American West Point cadet. I vaguely felt Grace pulling harder on my hand and saying something in Adrian but I couldn't register what it was. My eyes were fixed to the ringleader's, as he hungrily stared me down.

"It's the Russian!" another man shouted. Again, there was no question who he was referring to. As long as my name was still on international news, I would continue to be a target. I was suddenly shoved. I stumbled backwards, crashing hard into Grace.

"Grace, I'm so –" I started, the apology making its way out before I could stop it. However, I shouldn't have spoken at all. My accent was way too obvious, only furthering my identity as Spence's murderer. The mob quickly descended on Grace and I, not caring if either of us got hurt. I looked around frantically, trying to find a means of escape. Suddenly, I was hit hard in the face. I recoiled back hard, almost getting knocked off my feet. Just as I tried to recover, I got hit again, sending waves of pain throughout my body. As that same man lunged again for me, I forced myself into a fight stance, so I could get him down. Luckily, Grace came charging through, kicking that man in the knee and instantly bringing him down. I mentally thanked her and quickly turned my attention to the two men rapidly approaching me. I sent punches and kicks in all directions, trying to fight them at the same time.

"Grace, run!" I shouted, as I sent a hard punch to one of the men, knocking him down. I saw two more men approaching me out of the corner of my eye. I took a deep breath and focused my attention on the fight. My father had trained me well. I could only hope it would be enough to take down three men on my own. Unfortunately, Grace stayed put, fighting back against the men. Trust her to be stubborn and force her way right into trouble. I only wanted to protect her and keep her safe. As far as I knew, she didn't have any formal fight training. I didn't want that to hamper her and cause her to get hurt.

Suddenly, Grace froze mid-fight, like she was about to have another mental breakdown. My heart was telling me to go help her, to take her somewhere safe before her demons could overtake her. However, I had to focus on the fight in front of me.

Without warning, I felt a sharp stinging pain in my eye and my forehead. I looked up, only to see one of the men holding a torch with blood covering its end. I touched my forehead, feeling something wet and sticky, confirming my worst suspicions. I should have known not to get distracted. My brief pause was all that was needed for one of them to catch me by surprise. This was not going to end well. Yet, I forced myself to fight back, for Grace. I had to keep fighting, as long as it meant that she would be safe and out of harm's way.

Suddenly, I saw a face that seemed vaguely familiar. Was that Dominic … Novak? As I squinted at the face, trying to make it out, I felt a forceful kick to my shin, causing me to stumble. My ankle rolled the wrong way, sending a jolt of pain shooting up my leg. Clearly, I hadn't learned my lesson, as one of the men looked down at me, a knowing smirk on his face. My whole body ached and I wasn't sure how much longer I could keep fighting through the pain. I was finding it harder to concentrate on the fight because I was surrounded on all sides. Admittedly, I was starting to lose hope.

Just when I thought I wouldn't be able to hold on for much longer, a voice, like a saving angel, suddenly cut through the madness, ringing clear throughout the crowd. "Let him go!"

* * *

**Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Next chapter will be up between Jan. 5 and Jan. 12. **

**Who do you think is there to rescue Alexei? I feel like it's really obvious from the actual books :P Again, I went out on a limb with this chapter by adding a ton of things last minute (like the story of how Alexei's parents met), making it way longer than necessary. Hope you all have a good holiday and I'll see you in January! :) **


	15. Chapter 15 - A Brief Respite

**Hey guys, I hope you've all had a good holiday break! I went away over the break, which was so much fun (hoping to get a few travel posts up on IG eventually). Read on for some intimate Gralexei!**

* * *

**Gonna reply to reviews on the previous chapter, thanks so much to everyone who reviewed!**

**Guest 1: You've picked up on a plothole that I haven't quite managed to answer! :P For now, I'm going to say that Alexei's dad gradually let his ego get the better of him plus he became more harsh after Karina disappeared, as a way of dealing with that pain. And I feel like I portray him as way more of an asshole compared to the original books ¯\\_(****ツ****)_/¯**

**Guest 2: I was actually planning on having Grace meet Tanner and Jordan at the end of Take the Key and Lock Her Up in Alexei's POV, as a fun, fluffy epilogue. Even though I agree that it's not canon, you're definitely on the right track with what's going to happen ;)**

* * *

**Disclaimer****: I do not own the Embassy Row series and all the characters (except for Tanner and Jordan and Alexei's Moscow friends (Roman, Eugene, Josef, and Yulia), who are my own creations). They belong to Ally Carter. I am merely using her characters and plotline to create this fanfiction. This fanfiction is purely for entertainment purposes and would not exist without Ally Carter's wonderful works. **

**The events that happen in this fanfiction are not meant to be representative of real life. Any similarities to any real-life events or fictional works is purely coincidental and not intentional (with the exception of the original Embassy Row books by Ally Carter since this fanfiction is literally See How They Run but from Alexei's, not Grace's, perspective). The character's actions may not always reflect my own opinions or views. Based on what happens in this chapter (spoiler alert), I do not condone physical violence. **

**Trigger warning: mild to moderate  
****This fanfiction is rated T, for suggestive themes, language, and violence. This chapter contains very mild language (probably the least amount of swearing I've ever had in a chapter), physical violence, and mentions of blood. Read at your own discretion.**

* * *

Chapter Fifteen: A Brief Respite

I turned to find Jamie plowing his way through the crowd, knocking aside the surrounding men with a single blow each. I knew Jamie was an excellent fighter but this was a whole other level. I could almost feel the anger and rage radiating from Jamie as he fought the men and yelled at them to back off.

With a start, I realized he was fighting for me. He was beating up all those men, going full power on them because of me. If it weren't for him, then I would have been much more bruised and bloodied. There was no way I could ever repay Jamie for this.

Someone grabbed me from behind. I tensed up but relaxed when I saw Dominic at my side, pulling me towards Grace. I limped my way towards her, pain jolting up my leg every time I stepped with my bad ankle. There was a look of horror on her face as she gave me a once-over.

"I'm okay, Gracie," I managed to get out. I gave her a reassuring smile, despite the pain I was in. I didn't need, or want, her to worry about me. She had enough to deal with already.

"Get him home," Dominic ordered, pushing me towards Grace. "You know the way." I didn't have time to ask Dominic what he meant. Almost immediately, he had turned back towards the crowd.

Grace pulled my arm around her shoulder. She dragged me towards an empty alley. I limped alongside her, wondering where we were going. I wanted to ask but didn't want to break the silence. I didn't mind it though. I was just grateful for another shoulder to lean on, someone to support me.

I only realized what was happening when she suddenly reached down, hitting something on the street. The tunnels. That was what Dominic must have meant. Undoubtedly, that was the safest way to get me home without getting caught.

When Grace had popped the tunnel entrance open, she pushed me towards the ladder. I gingerly climbed down it, trying to be mindful of my sprained ankle.

As soon as I stepped into the tunnels, it was like I had entered a whole other world. I was overtaken by the darkness but it was surprisingly comforting. Combined with the silence, it was almost peaceful, a stark contrast to the noise and glaring torches of the mob.

I felt Grace nearby, her presence comforting. It was nice to know that she was here with me and that I didn't have to go through this alone. She took a flashlight out of her pocket, turning it on. I flinched, squinting against the intense, almost painful brightness, as the tiny beam lit up the entirety of the tunnel. Thankfully, Grace shifted the beam away from me, giving my eyes a break. However, I could still feel her taking me in, her eyes running over every inch of my bruised and battered body. It was almost unsettling to be scrutinized like that, especially by her.

"Don't," I said. I didn't want her worrying about me in that way. Yet, that didn't stop Grace from reaching towards me, touching my forehead. Her sleeve came away covered in blood, my blood.

"No, Gracie. Don't look at me like that. I'm fine." I didn't need someone to coddle me. I could deal with a bit of pain and tough it out on my own. I was more than capable of taking care of myself.

"You are not fine!" Grace exclaimed, as she ran her fingers through my hair, pushing it away from my forehead. "They're monsters."

"Come on," I said, taking Grace's hand. "We should get home." It was the smart thing to do, to get her back to the safety of the American embassy before anyone could find us. However, I didn't move. I couldn't move, not when Grace was standing so close to me. I couldn't help but stare at her, taking in how beautiful she was. I wondered what would have happened if I had been the one to kiss her at the party, not Spence. Maybe none of this drama would have happened. Yet, if that were the case, I wouldn't be standing here with her right now, alone in this dark tunnel deep underground. Down here, away from the mayhem of the crowded streets, it felt like we were the only two people in the world.

"Gracie." I exhaled her name like a sigh, as I looked down at her, pushing her hair away from her face with one hand. I slipped my other arm around her waist, pulling her close to me. I didn't ever want to let go of her, not when I had her in my arms, where I could easily protect her. I took a deep breath, taking her in. "What are we going to do?" As long as I had her with me, I felt like we would be able to do anything and take on anyone we wanted.

I leaned in closer, resting my forehead against hers. I couldn't stop myself, not when her presence was so intoxicating. I closed my eyes, relishing this moment. If I had to leave Adria, I might not ever get a moment like this with her again. I pulled her closer, holding her to my chest as I took long, deep breaths. I felt her heartbeat against my chest, its steady rhythm calming me down. In this moment, standing with Grace and holding her in my arms was all I needed.

I remembered how I tried so hard to make a relationship with Lila work. However, I never felt anything more than friendship with her, even when she kissed me. It was similar with Yulia. Although I had felt more towards her, it wasn't enough to extinguish my feelings for Grace. With Grace, it was so different. Even though I was just holding her, I felt so much more than I ever did with Lila or Yulia. I had never felt so strongly about someone before, especially a girl. I felt so alive, like every single nerve in my body was on fire. Yet, at the same time, I felt a great sense of calmness, like Grace was grounding me to the earth and letting me know that I wasn't alone in this great big world.

"It will pass, Alexei," Grace said, bringing me back to the present. Suddenly, the seriousness of my current situation came crashing down on me.

"Will it?" I asked. Locked in that embrace with her, everything felt fine. But now, as we were slowly bringing ourselves back to the real world, my situation started feeling more dismal. I could only hope that it would pass and I could go back to living my life normally.

I pushed Grace away from me but at the last second, took her hand. If I had to be away from her forever, I didn't want to let go of her just yet. I kept holding her hand as she led us down the tunnels, aiming her flashlight at the unknown, shadowy depths ahead of us. Even though I knew these tunnels pretty well, thanks to my mother's map and all the time that I had spent exploring them, I still felt like something new was waiting for us, something dark and ominous that would threaten our lives if we weren't careful.

* * *

I climbed over the wall to the Russian embassy, after ensuring that Grace had safely made it back inside the American embassy. It had hurt like hell to do so but it was the only viable option for me to get back into the embassy. Even though it was pretty late at night, I couldn't risk taking the main road back to the embassy, in case I was noticed again. Besides, the trapdoors leading into the basements of each embassy were not an option, in case my father was having another clandestine meeting down there.

I walked in through the back door, taking the back stairwell up to my room. Once inside, I nearly collapsed on the floor. It took everything I had to settle down in my desk chair instead. Almost immediately, I heard a knock on my bedroom door. I looked up to find Mikhail coming in. He simply raised an eyebrow at me, taking in my bruised and battered body.

"That bad?" I asked, not wanting to hear Mikhail's response. He simply gestured towards the bathroom. I slowly followed him in, feeling pain all over my body with each step. By the time I made it in, Mikhail was already running a couple washcloths under the tap. I took that as my cue to sit down, so that Mikhail could once again clean me up.

"I really hope you won't make a habit of getting into fights," Mikhail said, as he started wiping down my face. I just shrugged. At the rate I seemed to be going, and the way fights seemed to find me, I wouldn't be surprised if that eventually turned out to be true. I noticed the white washcloth progressively getting redder.

"The cut on your forehead has reopened," Mikhail stated. I stood up, to look at myself in the mirror. I grimaced when I saw my reflection. I couldn't tell if I looked worse after the fight with Spence or the fight with those men tonight. My face was absolutely covered in blood, thanks to the reopened cut on my forehead and a new cut on my lip. My eyes were ringed in bruises and my right eye had swollen shut again. I looked like an absolute trainwreck. It was honestly a wonder that I wasn't dead yet.

"Sit, Lyosha," Mikhail said gently. I obediently sat back down, to let Mikhail finish cleaning me up. He wiped off all the blood on my face, as well as most of the blood coating my knuckles and my hair. He helped me take my shirt off, which I hadn't realized was covered in blood, and cleaned a large gash on my chest.

"Thank you," I said, once Mikhail had finished. "You didn't have to do this again."

"I'd rather not have you deal with the aftermath of a fight alone," Mikhail said, wringing out the washcloths. "I've been there and it's not pleasant. If you got into another fight, I wouldn't mind cleaning you up again."

"I promise I'll stay out of fights."

"I imagine that'd be a bit difficult, considering your name is all over international news?"

"I'm never going to live that down, will I?" I asked, with a sigh.

"I doubt it. Unless you managed to get your name cleared which, unfortunately, seems a bit unlikely." As much as I hated to admit it, Mikhail was right. I wouldn't be able to go back to my normal life until my name was cleared. I had no idea if that would ever happen, given how all the evidence seemed to suggest I had murdered Spence.

"Don't worry, Lyosha, like I said earlier, I will always believe that you are innocent. It's just a matter of getting the public to believe the same," Mikhail said.

"And that's why I've decided to give up my diplomatic status and immunity," I said, biting the bullet. I saw surprise briefly flash across his eyes before he composed himself again.

"That's not going to be an easy thing to do," Mikhail stated, looking at me intently.

"No, it won't be. But it'll be the only way to convince the public that I'm innocent. If I keep my diplomatic immunity, the police won't be able to question me and the public will continue to believe that I murdered Spence. I have to let the police question me, to prove that I'm innocent."

Mikhail murmured in understanding. "Of course. That's an extremely valid point. Have you discussed this with your father?"

"Not yet. I will tell him in the morning."

Mikhail nodded in approval. "That sounds like a solid plan. Your situation has only been adding to your father's stress. He's told me that the sooner you make a decision, the sooner the embassy can move forward." I had to resist the urge to roll my eyes. I wasn't surprised that my father just wanted to get me dealt with so he could move onto more important things. He probably couldn't care less about what I decided to do.

"He just wants me out of his hair, doesn't he?" I asked, not really wanting to know the answer. Mikhail hesitated, an indication that I wasn't going to like his answer.

"Well, for one, this isn't good for diplomatic relations. As the new ambassador, your father really wants to strengthen Russian ties with each embassy." Of course. It always came back to diplomatic relations. My father had always been big on that. Now that he was the ambassador, I could only imagine how much diplomatic relations affected his everyday decisions.

"Do you know what my father wants me to do?"

"He didn't say," Mikhail admitted, his face open. I took a moment to let that sink in. I knew Mikhail would never lie to me. My father, on the other hand, I wasn't so sure about. He had lied to me and tested me many times as a child. Especially with the shows that he could put on in public, I learned to grow very wary of him and never quite trusted him, always feeling like I was walking a fine line with him.

"Would you like me to be there tomorrow morning when you tell your father?" Mikhail asked.

"I think I'll be alright. Thanks though." As much as I would have liked to have Mikhail by my side, this was something I'd have to do on my own.

Mikhail nodded in understanding. "Of course. I'm here if you need me."

"Honestly, I can't thank you enough for always being there for me." Ever since I was a child, Mikhail had always been there to pick me up after every bad day and scraped knee. I didn't realize that would extend to fights, now that I had gotten older.

"Lyosha, you don't need to thank me," Mikhail said, looking at me sincerely. "I'll always be here for you. If not in body, then in spirit." I nodded, unbelievably thankful for Mikhail's kind heart. He wrapped me in a warm hug. I sunk into it, not wanting to let go. I could always count on Mikhail to ensure that I felt loved and had someone to turn to. I honestly didn't know what I would do without him.

"I'll see you in the morning, okay?" Mikhail said, after I broke off the hug. I simply nodded in response. "Have a good night, Lyosha. Sweet dreams."

* * *

I once again awoke to the extremely enticing smell of food. As I rolled out of bed, I felt a wave of pain move throughout my body. At least I didn't have a pounding headache. My stomach suddenly grumbled, only making the food smell that much more intoxicating. Sure enough, I found a tray of food sitting on my desk. It was obvious who had left it there, even though there wasn't a note on the tray. I honestly didn't know what I did to deserve Mikhail and his unwavering love for me.

I removed the serving lid from the tray, revealing a plate of scrambled eggs on toast with sides of baked beans and avocado. It was still steaming hot, likely just prepared. I immediately devoured the contents of the plate, washing it down with a glass of ice-cold milk. Again, there was a small cup of water with two Advil pills, which I also downed.

Just as I had finished the water, I heard a knock on the door. I was unsurprised to find Mikhail walking into my room.

"You look better," Mikhail commented, taking me in.

"All thanks to you," I replied. "Though I'm still sore everywhere."

"That's normal. You really should take it easy. You've had a very rough few days." That was an understatement. Two hardcore fights within forty-eight hours of each other. It was honestly a miracle I was still alive and functioning.

"I'll try." In reality, Mikhail and I both knew that wasn't going to happen. Thanks to my father, I always pushed myself to my limits, forcing myself through the pain. I had a very difficult time taking it easy because I was so used to going all the way, and more.

"What else has my father said about me to the media?" I asked, treading carefully.

"You know your father, he hasn't said much," Mikhail said. "The key point he keeps making is that you're protected under diplomatic immunity and that the embassy will be privately discussing your next steps."

"Wow, my father really wants me to quickly come to a decision, doesn't he?" I muttered. "Has he had any meetings about this?"

"Not that I'm aware of. He hasn't discussed this much with me." It looked like he wasn't kidding about this being solely my decision to make.

"Are you still thinking of renouncing your diplomatic status?" Mikhail asked.

"What other choice do I have? If my father wants me to come to a decision, then this is the decision I've made. The longer I wait, the worse this will be dragged out. I just want this to be over and renouncing my diplomatic status is the quickest way to do so."

Mikhail looked at me intently, a grave look on his face that worried me. "Lyosha, I will always support you, whatever you do. I just hope that you've really thought this through. By giving up your diplomatic status, you'll be losing so much more than just that."

"I know. And I am prepared to lose all that." I knew I was sacrificing a lot, like general protection in Adria and exemption from criminal allegations. It was funny how diplomatic immunity was supposed to be the one thing to keep me safe and protect me from harm. Now, it was stifling me and keeping me from moving forward. The longer I drew this out and stayed protected under diplomatic immunity, the worse things would get. The mobs would keep protesting and Spence's real killer would remain free to commit more murders as they pleased. So yes, I had to give up my diplomatic immunity now, in order to end this all as soon as possible.

"It looks like you've really given this some thought. In that case, I'm not going to stop you from pursuing this," Mikhail said. Although his face was neutral, I could still see the concern in his eyes and knew that he really was looking out for me. Even if he didn't necessarily agree with my decision, I knew he would support me to the end. Besides, I knew that giving up my diplomatic status was the right thing to do at this time; I could feel it all the way to my core. There was no going back now, just moving forward.

"Your father is in his office doing paperwork. He's not overly busy at the moment and seems to be in a relatively decent mood," Mikhail said. I nodded, taking in the underlying message. Now was a good time for me to tell my father about renouncing my diplomatic status and immunity.

"Are you sure you don't want me there, for moral support?" Mikhail asked one last time.

"I'm sure." I had prepared myself for this, facing the music alone.

"Let me know how it goes after, alright?"

"I will." Mikhail smiled then took the empty tray from my desk. We walked out of my room together in a comfortable silence.

"Good luck in there," Mikhail said, giving me a supportive pat on the back. I glanced over at the closed double doors to my father's office then back at Mikhail. He gave me a nod of encouragement before heading off. I took a deep breath, steeling myself for what was to come as I knocked on my father's door.

"Alexei. What a surprise," my father commented, opening the door.

"I have made my decision," I said, trying my best to sound confident. My father simply nodded, opening the door wider to let me in. I saw piles of paperwork and an open laptop on my father's desk as I walked in. Yet, he made no motion to sit back down at his desk, instead, standing by the large windows. He didn't say anything as he stared me down, like he was expecting me to make the first move.

"I have decided to renounce my diplomatic status and thus, my diplomatic immunity," I stated, after a brief silence. I wasn't sure how my father would react. Part of me expected him to be angry, to yell at me and throw me against the wall, or beat me up again. However, his reaction was the last thing that I expected.

"Excellent. I am glad you were able to come to a decision so quickly," my father said, nodding. Although his face remained perfectly composed and neutral, I could have sworn there was a hint of approval in his eyes. Had I actually done something right, for once?

"I am disappointed that you did not take advantage of my high level of diplomatic immunity," my father continued, as he started pacing. "However, now that you have renounced your diplomatic immunity, you can be taken in for questioning. As you can imagine, all of this political unrest is making the situation worse. Once the politics are out of the way, the situation will become much more rational. Only then, can the murderer of the cadet be found and tried." My father looked right at me as he said that last part. I gulped, trying not to balk under my father's intimidating stare. Did he still think I had murdered Spence?

"Whether or not you murdered the cadet is for you alone to know," my father said, answering my unspoken question. "Nonetheless, settling this diplomatic unrest will allow for a proper, unbiased investigation into the cadet's death and a subsequent, rightful punishment for the accused." He paced more, looking out the window before turning to me again.

"The sooner your decision is made public, the better. I will set up a press conference, announcing the renunciation of your diplomatic immunity, and a formal questioning with law enforcement." My father walked over to his desk, grabbing his phone. He immediately started tapping around on it, before making a bunch of phone calls. I stood there silently, watching my father pace as he talked. It was a rapid mix of Russian, Adrian, and English that was quite hard to follow. When he hung up for the last time, he turned towards me, a smile on his face.

"The press conference has been set up. I will be heading over to the American embassy shortly, to discuss the press conference and the implications of your decisions with the American ambassador and his staff. After that, the press conference will be held from twelve noon until two p.m. today. At that time, an official vehicle will take you to the central police station for your questioning. I expect you to be well-dressed and on your best behaviour. Is that clear?"

"Yes, father," I replied, obedient as ever. I would do what was right and not mess this up. I would go to the police station and answer all their questions. After all, I had nothing to hide and I was doing the honourable thing. Yet, it still felt like I was walking into a trap.

"Can I trust that you will stay out of trouble in the meantime? Will you stay in the embassy until you are to be taken to your questioning?" My father gave me a hard look, like he was staring into my core, trying to determine if I was telling the truth.

"Yes, father."

"Excellent. I will see you then. You are free to go," my father said, with a nod. I nodded back then headed out of his office.

As I walked back up to my room, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. I wasn't sure what it was; maybe it was the way my father so easily accepted my decision without relentlessly questioning me or the way he managed to arrange a press conference and an official questioning so quickly. Either way, if something were to happen to me, I had to let someone know, someone who would share and understand my fears. There was only one person who would really understand what it felt like to be walking into a death sentence, one person who knew what it was like to be fighting against the whole world. Grace. It was time to say goodbye to her.

* * *

**Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Next chapter will be up between Jan. 26 and Feb. 3. **

**I felt like this chapter was a bit filler. Yet, it's significant in its own way, as you will see in a few chapters. I included a couple foreshadowy bits; we'll see if anyone picks up on them ¯\\_(****ツ****)_/¯ See you in a few weeks!**


	16. Chapter 16 - Last Goodbye

**Hey guys, happy February! This is a long chapter (it was initially two shorter chapters but I decided to combine them into one longer chapter since I felt weird posting shorter chapters :P). There are two key events from the books that happen in this chapter. All I can say is read on for some feels.**

* * *

**Gonna reply to reviews on the previous chapter, thanks so much to everyone who reviewed!**

**Guest: Read on to find out if your prediction is correct. I definitely agree, Mikhail's death is making me sad too (since he had so many good moments with Alexei and I loved writing Mikhail/Alexei scenes).**

**Guest: Thank you! I hope you like this chapter too!**

**Guest: Little does he know just how many people are out to get him :P **

**Potato: You'll see in later chapters ;)**

* * *

**Disclaimer****: I do not own the Embassy Row series and all the characters (except for Tanner and Jordan and Alexei's Moscow friends (Roman, Eugene, Josef, and Yulia), who are my own creations). They belong to Ally Carter. I am merely using her characters and plotline to create this fanfiction. This fanfiction is purely for entertainment purposes and would not exist without Ally Carter's wonderful works. **

**The events that happen in this fanfiction are not meant to be representative of real life. Any similarities to any real-life events or fictional works is purely coincidental and not intentional (with the exception of the original Embassy Row books by Ally Carter since this fanfiction is literally See How They Run but from Alexei's, not Grace's, perspective). The character's actions may not always reflect my own opinions or views. Based on what happens in this chapter (spoiler alert), I do not condone drugging other people or murder via explosion. **

**Trigger warning: moderate  
****This fanfiction is rated T, for suggestive themes, language, and violence. This chapter contains very mild language, depictions of death, and fire/ explosions. Read at your own discretion.**

* * *

Chapter Sixteen: Last Goodbye

Of course, I couldn't sneak out of the embassy just yet, not with my father still around. I'd have to wait until he left for the press conference. Then, I could quickly sneak out, say goodbye to Grace, and come back. It would take me fifteen to twenty minutes at most and I would be back before anyone realized I was gone.

In the mean time, I had to clean myself up if I wanted to look like an innocent student, not a vengeful murderer. I took a long, hot shower, washing off all the grime from the last few days. I shaved. I gelled my hair out of my face. Then, I took one last look at myself in the mirror. At first glance, I looked fresh-faced and innocent, like the harmless student I was supposed to be. Yet, my black eye, split lip, and cuts and bruises marring my face proved otherwise, screaming to the world that I was capable of bloody murder. It looked like there was no win for me.

I walked to my closet. I put on one of my nicest black suits, pairing it with a white dress shirt, a long, skinny black tie, and shiny black dress shoes. Classic and timeless yet sophisticated. It was my go-to look for any formal event, which had primarily consisted of fancy parties. I hadn't realized that would extend to official police questionings until now.

I walked back into my room, turning on the TV. I absentmindedly flipped through it until it landed on one of the local news stations, which was hosting a live broadcast of the press conference. I watched the buildup of the press conference with mild interest, waiting until my father appeared on the screen. He sat at a table with Ambassador Vincent and the police chief, speaking about everything that had happened with me and Spence over the past few days. It was strange watching it from the outside, knowing I had been at the center of it all. Eventually, my father announced my decision to renounce my diplomatic status and immunity, saying how it was a difficult decision that came about after much discussion within the embassy. Yeah right. All it took was wallowing in my own thoughts for a few hours to come to that decision. My father and the other executive embassy staff didn't play any role in that.

I turned off the TV, throwing the remote against the wall in anger, not willing to listen to my father's bullshit any longer. Without any second thoughts, I quietly walked out of my room, softly closing the door behind me. I snuck out through the back door of the embassy, not passing a single soul. I knew I was walking into a death sentence, leaving the embassy now, but I had to say goodbye to Grace. I heard the roar of the protestors, still fighting for the proper vengeance of Spence's death. If I stepped onto the main streets now, there was no telling what would happen to me. Maybe I would be the one beaten to death.

I walked down the narrow alley to the little gap in the wall between the Russian and American embassies, my only escape route. As I scaled the wall, trying my best not to ruin my suit or my dress shoes on the rough stones, I couldn't help but think of a simpler time, when getting Grace to talk to me had been my biggest concern. It was here, in this exact spot, where she finally broke down and confessed everything to me. I still cherished that moment, holding her in my arms as we stared out at the ocean. Thanks to my current situation, I wasn't sure if I'd ever get another moment like that with her.

I jumped down, landing with a soft thud. Belatedly, I realized I had one small problem. Where was Grace? If she was still in the American embassy, then all my efforts would have been for nothing. I couldn't exactly march up to the gates and ask to see her, not without causing another scandal. Although I had snuck in through the back doors before, it was exponentially more dangerous now. I couldn't imagine how Ambassador Vincent or Ms. Chancellor or even Jamie would react if they saw me sneaking around the American embassy, trying to find Grace.

However, something, a gut feeling, told me she wasn't in the American embassy. If she wasn't there, then where could she possibly be? It wasn't like I could ask any of the Marines where she went, not without the risk of being recognized.

I didn't think she'd be out in the streets, not with all the crowds. Knowing her, she'd want to be alone, away from the chaos of the mobs. Usually, I wouldn't have been surprised to spot her sitting on top of the wall, taking things in from afar. However, the roars of the protestors were still audible from the wall, making that an unlikely place for her to be. Suddenly, I had an idea of where she might be. And luckily, I didn't have to take any of the main roads to get there.

I took a back route, following the backs of the embassies. I made sure to stay close to the wall, to lessen the risk of someone looking out one of the windows and spotting me. After a short walk, I made it to the beach. As I breathed in the cool, salty air, I looked up at the building that stood before me. Iran. The long-abandoned building that was no longer used, at least by the public. However, it was exactly the kind of place Grace would come to. Despite the slightly creepy undertones, it was the perfect place to find refuge and get a bit of peace and quiet. Sure enough, I spotted Grace on her own, slowly walking up the hill towards the wall.

"Gracie!" She turned around, looking right past me, and kept walking up the hill.

"Gracie, wait." I picked up the pace, forcing myself to sprint up the hill towards her. A million emotions ran through her eyes before she finally spoke.

"What are you doing out here? Are you crazy? You shouldn't leave the embassy. Wait – how did you leave the embassy?" We had reached the top of the hill, near the base of the cliffs, the Iranian embassy looming up above us. Even though the sounds of the mobs permeated throughout the city, down here, it was almost like we were completely alone.

"You aren't the only one who can climb the wall, you know," I said, with a shrug. Surely, that thought must have crossed her mind at some point. I stepped closer, pulling Grace over to the cliffs, near the Iranian fence, where we would be hidden from sight, at least to anyone who walked by the old gate in the wall.

"You shouldn't be here," Grace said.

"I had to come," I replied, shaking my head. As much as I appreciated her concern for me, I had to see her.

"No. It's not safe. We have to get you back before –"

"I came to say good-bye." Grace stopped dead in her tracks. I could almost see her mind spinning, the wheels turning as she processed what I had just told her.

"Oh, I see. Okay. I guess this time you'll have to stay in Moscow for good." It looked like it pained her to say that. Little did she know just how far from the truth it was.

"I will not go to Moscow," I said, biting the bullet.

"What do you mean?" I took a deep breath, bracing myself for what I had to tell her.

"I mean that, in fact, the opposite is happening. I am renouncing my diplomatic status. I'm going to turn myself in." Shock was written all over Grace's face, like she had just gotten hit with a bullet.

"No. You can't," Grace said, like she was trying to stop me. Unfortunately, that decision was already locked in place.

"My father is holding a press conference denouncing my immunity even as we speak," I said, with a nonchalant shrug. Nothing could change that fact now, not even Grace's wishes. "They are readying an official vehicle to take me to the central police station in about an hour. It is not an arrest. I will answer their questions, that's all. I have nothing to hide."

"This is insane!" What would be more insane was letting this drag out for all eternity, cowering under the guise of diplomatic immunity. The sooner I could prove my innocence, the better.

"No. It's not. It is for the best. I can turn myself in, and there can be a full investigation, without all the politics."

"This is Adria! There will always be politics!" I couldn't deny that. After all, Adria had always been at the heart of international politics. However, I had to make Grace see reason and make her understand that I was doing the right thing, not just for Adria and diplomatic relations, but for myself, and us.

"Grace, my father is worried what all of this unrest will lead to. It can't be good for diplomatic relations and –"

"Do you think I care about diplomatic relations?" Grace shouted, her emotions bleeding through her words. "Well, I don't, Alexei. And you shouldn't either. Think about it." Grace suddenly grabbed onto my shirt, closing the gap between us. It took everything in me not to push her away, to make sure she would be safe if I ended up taking the fall.

"None of the politicians care about what happened to Spence. Not what _really_ happened," Grace continued. "They just want to make this problem go away. Make _you_ go away." By now, she was so close to me, I could feel her frantic breaths against my chest. Every shallow inhale and exhale as she looked up at me, a pleading, desperate look in her eyes.

"You have to go back to Russia. Now! You have to get out of here." As much as I wanted to leave and escape my problems, I couldn't. I was already in too deep. The only thing I could do was face the consequences of my actions, alone.

"I will not run away," I said, shaking my head. Leaving was the cowardly move to make. I had to swallow my pride and face this like a man. I forced myself to step back from Grace, to keep myself from getting too attached in case I never saw her again.

"You can't go to jail, Alexei."

"Are you worried about me?" I asked, almost teasing her. Did she really think I was going to go to jail? This was just the official questioning; the trial, and any potential sentencing, was likely a long ways away. I had plenty of time to worry about that later.

"Yes!" Grace yelled, her voice devoid of any playfulness. I looked at her in shock. For so long, she seemed not to care about me, to the point where I accepted that she'd never have feelings for me. However, now that she admitted to being worried about me, I wasn't sure what to make of it. On the one hand, it was nice to have someone who was concerned about me. Yet, she was the last person I wanted to drag down with all my problems. If I got hurt in this huge mess, I didn't want to bring her down with me. She already had enough issues to deal with.

"They're saying someone killed Spence, Alexei. They think someone _murdered_ Spence, and now you are conveniently willing to take the blame for it. Someone _wants_ you to take the blame for it."

"You don't know that," I replied, shaking my head. Sure, Spence's death may have been an unfortunate accident. But would someone really go so far and want me to take the blame for it? To my knowledge, I didn't have any enemies. Maybe Spence, briefly, but we had eventually gotten over ourselves. I didn't think there was anyone out there, anyone with a burning hatred for me that would go so far as to incriminate me for something I did not do. Yes, it was convenient that there was video evidence of me yelling at Spence, making me the perfect scapegoat. For the public, it would be easy to put two and two together and assume I had murdered Spence. There was no way someone would have seen the video evidence then intentionally murdered Spence so they could blame me, right?

Grace's eyes flicked over at the worn-down, abandoned Iranian embassy next to us. I couldn't help but wonder what she was thinking about. Surely, she couldn't be reminiscing about her first day here, when she had foolishly walked through the Iranian embassy to retrieve Lila's scarf. Again, I couldn't help but miss how much simpler life had been then, even though it was only a month ago. At the start of the summer, my biggest concern was getting a job to make my father happy. Now, I was at the center of an international scandal. That wasn't exactly how I expected my summer to turn out.

"I know it, Alexei. And if you'll stop and think about it, you'll know it, too." I appreciated her concern for me but I felt like she was taking things a bit too far. There was no way anyone would be after me, or Spence.

"Grace –"

"We don't know who killed him," Grace interrupted. "Or why. But do you really think this was a mugging or some random act of violence? You saw his body on the beach that day. Did that look like a boy who'd been in an accident?" She had a point. There was no denying the signs of struggle, the marks around Spence's neck. Yet, why anyone would want to target Spence, or have a reason for doing so in the first place was beyond me. As far as the world knew, I was the only one who had reason to kill Spence. What they didn't know was that I didn't do it. But who else would intentionally target Spence, to have a good enough reason for singling him out and murdering him? That puzzled me. However, that was the past and there was nothing Grace or I, or anyone could do to change it. The only thing I could do now was accept it and move on.

"I'll be okay, Gracie." I put my hands over hers, potentially the last time I'd get to do so. I squeezed her hands, letting know her I'd be okay. She looked up at me, almost like she believed me. However, her face hardened and her resolve suddenly changed.

"I'll be okay, Gracie," I said again, reassuring her. I was just going for a questioning. Nothing was going to happen to me, not until the police reviewed the evidence. I was still safe, for the time being. I had to make her see that. I squeezed her hands again but she let go, turning her back on me as she moved closer to the abandoned building next to us. I stared at her, watching as she looked up at the Iranian embassy, the old building that once used to be beautiful and stately before its great demise. Somehow, that gave me a sense of impending doom, like this was my last good moment before my own demise.

"My father said that as soon as the political aspect can be set aside, we will be able to pursue justice instead of vengeance. He says –"

"He wants the mob to go away, Alexei. And he's willing to sacrifice his own son to make it happen." The harsh reality of Grace's words hit me like a ton of bricks, making me turn away from her. I knew my father never liked me much. He had made his point extremely clear, that this whole situation was not good for diplomatic relations, or his reputation. I had never thought he'd go so far as to sacrifice me, in order to save his precious reputation, but now, I realized that possibility was not very far-fetched.

"It's not like that," I said. Surely, it wasn't. Yet, looking back, it was strange how my father had set up the press conference and the official questioning so quickly. He had always been a very efficient man, wanting to get things done in the quickest and most effective ways possible. But did he really want to get rid of me, just like that? That possibility was suddenly starting to become all too real, as a small part of me couldn't help but feel that he just wanted me out of his hair, maybe even out of his life. I wasn't sure if I could handle that truth yet, even though his behaviour towards me over the years clearly suggested it.

"It is exactly like that." For a second, a heavy silence fell between us, emphasizing the weight of Grace's words and just how much was truly at stake for me, and for us.

"Please do not be angry with me."

"You think I'm angry?" Grace snapped, taking me aback. She suddenly softened, her face completely changing. "Alexei, I'm terrified."

"I'm sorry," I said, realizing just how bad of an idea it was to say goodbye to her. If anything, it only made things worse between us. I shouldn't have left the embassy to see her in the first place. I didn't want to burden her and make her worry about me, not when she already had so much on her plate. Besides, I was probably endangering her life. After all, if she was caught talking to me, she could be arrested and charged with aiding a fugitive. I couldn't ruin her life like that. Maybe my father was right. Maybe I shouldn't have gotten involved with Grace. After all, none of this, Spence's death, the fight at the party, the mobs and protests, none of it would have happened if I hadn't developed feelings for Grace in the first place.

"I'm not thirsty anymore. Do you want this?" Grace held out a water bottle to me. It was almost like a sign of peace, a way of salvaging our friendship after that disastrous conversation. I gladly took it with a smile.

"Thank you," I said, taking a sip of the cold and refreshing water.

"Don't let it go to waste, you know. It might be your last taste of freedom." That was more like the Grace I knew. And who knew, maybe she was right. Maybe this would be my last meal before my death by execution. Maybe I was to be banished to a deserted island, never to return to Adria again.

I suddenly stumbled, even though I was standing on solid ground. My hand slipped, sending the empty bottle rolling down the long, sloped hill. To top it off, my head felt very cloudy, my thoughts swimming.

"Grace, I don't feel …" I managed to get out, before my tongue went numb and heavy in my mouth, rendering me incapable of speech. What was happening to me? Was it something I had eaten earlier? Or was the sleep deprivation from the last few nights starting to get to me? I was vaguely aware of Grace leading me past the Iranian fence, her arm around my waist. That was the only thing anchoring me to the world as I started losing control of myself. My vision blurred, my surroundings blending into one as the world spun around me. My muscles felt loose and limp, like they were made of jelly. My body flopped around aimlessly, no matter how much I willed it to move where I desired. My mind was clouded and foggy, fading as my thoughts became more sluggish. I felt myself falling, slowly at first, then faster and faster as my world completely faded to black.

* * *

I opened my eyes to a dark, black expanse, stretching as far as I could see. I blinked a few times, trying to figure out where I was and why my world was so dark. Was I dreaming? I tried to think back to what I had been doing before but came up empty-handed.

I blinked again. Suddenly, the black veil around me lifted, slowly fading to grey, creating shadowy figures that I couldn't make out. Yet, the shadowy figures gradually sharpened into people. I blinked in surprise when I recognized them. Megan and Noah. What were they doing here, in whatever world this was?

"Grace, Alexei can't stay here." I thought I heard Megan talking but I didn't fully process her words.

"Of course he can't. But he's harder to move than I thought he would be." Suddenly, I felt the sensation of falling then landing with a hard jerk. I instantly became aware of my limbs, feeling that my body was once again my own.

I tried stretching but found that I was unable to move my feet or my hands. That was strange. I blinked a few times, the world around me coming into greater focus. I saw what looked like grass around me and some bricks further ahead. I tried using my abdominal and leg muscles to propel myself forwards but didn't get anywhere. Where was I?

"No. I think what Megan was trying to say is that Alexei has to turn himself in." Those words, like a bucket of ice-cold water, reawakened all my senses, bringing me back into full consciousness and the real world. All of a sudden, my problems hit me full force. Spence. My father. The press conference. I searched through my memory, going back to the last thing that I remembered, sneaking out of the embassy to complete one last deed. And I suddenly realized who had been responsible for getting me in this state in the first place. Grace and that cold, sweet-tasting bottle of water. It had to have been the water. Why else would I have felt so dizzy just seconds after downing it? What had she put in it anyways? And why on Earth did she think it was a good idea to knock me out cold?

"_Gracie_," I choked out, wanting answers. My voice came out harsh and raspy but it was enough for Megan and Noah to turn their attention to me. Megan dropped to her knees and helped me sit up. I looked down and noticed my own belt binding my ankles together. How ironic. That would explain why I had been unable to move my feet earlier.

"What happened?" I asked.

"You took a little nap, my friend," Noah replied. I gave him a skeptical look as he dropped down, undoing the belt that held my feet together. Had Grace tied me up too? Jesus Christ, who did she think she was, knocking me out and tying me up? This was like an old Western drama, except with a massive reversal of gender roles.

"Alexei, don't yell," Grace said. I turned my attention to her, curious to see what she had to say for herself. "Just listen. You have to listen to me. Please. You have to go back to Moscow." Instantly, I snapped to attention, remembering what I had told her. I was not going to be a coward and run away. I was going to man up and go for a questioning, to prove that I had nothing to hide.

"No!" I shouted, despite my raspy, dry voice. I stood up, even though the world around me was still spinning. I forced myself to take a few deep breaths, trying to find my balance. "No. I will not run. I will do the honourable thing for my country and for yours. I must do this!"

I suddenly recalled something Noah had said earlier. What did he mean, 'I had taken a little nap'? How long had I been out for? "What time is it?"

Noah quickly glanced down at his watch. "It's time." Noah looked right at me, giving me a somber nod.

"Time to face the music," I muttered in Russian. It was now or never. I started down the hill, heading towards the street.

"Alexei, don't do this," Grace said. There was a pleading note in her voice, like she really didn't want me to do it. However, she didn't understand that I had to do this, if I wanted to stand any chance at saving myself.

"I must do this," I said, continuing down the hill. There was no way I could turn back now. Not when I was already late and this was a done deal. My fate was in the hands of this questioning. I very well couldn't ditch at the last second, not after my father had likely pulled many strings to set it up.

"No, you don't have to. Okay. So you don't want to go back to Moscow. Fine. Then stay here. Lay low until we can figure out who really killed Spence. Just –"

"It is a matter of honour, Grace." I turned towards her, begging her to understand. I had to show the world that I was innocent and had nothing to hide. After all, it was the honourable thing to do. I would not back down and hide from everyone like a coward. There was no way I was running back to Moscow. That would be admitting defeat.

"Honour is overrated." Grace really didn't understand, did she? The way my father had raised me, honour was everything. I was going to adhere to that principle for as long as possible.

"I will cooperate with their investigation, and the truth will come out."

"No!" Grace grabbed my arm. She lunged forward and blocked my path. "It won't if they don't _want_ the truth to come out."

"Who are 'they', Gracie? Tell me." Was she crazy? What was Grace so worked up about? Of course the truth would come out if I cooperated. After all, there was nothing a diplomatic questioning couldn't solve, right?

"I … I don't know. But don't go, Alexei. I don't know why, but I know it is a huge mistake. Please, don't go." I looked over at the Russian embassy, surrounded by a mob and a crowd of reporters. I had no doubt that my father was already at the police station, awaiting my arrival. I saw movement out of the corner of my eye. I glanced down the street to see a long black car with Russian flags rolling down the street.

"I'm late." I took a second look at the car and almost recoiled in surprise when I saw who was in the driver's seat. Mikhail. I should have known that he would be driving me to the central police station. He was my father's personal driver and was responsible for any and all official chauffeuring required by me or my father. He didn't seem to have seen me though. His eyes were focused straight ahead, as he carefully pulled through the mob and into the courtyard of the Russian embassy.

"I should be on my way to the police station by now," I continued, looking over at Megan and Noah. It was time. My final goodbyes in case I never made it back to Adria.

"It'll be okay," Noah said, glancing over at Grace. "We'll take care of her." He was a good guy. I hadn't known him very well until recently but I knew he would make sure to check in on Grace, ensuring that her demons wouldn't overtake her.

"Yeah," Megan said. She stood on her tiptoes and kissed me on the cheek. I couldn't help but think that Lila would have done the exact same thing. I knew Lila was strong and that she would deal with this just fine. However, a small part of me still wished I could say goodbye to her, to let her know that I would always be her friend.

Finally, I turned towards Grace. My heart broke when I saw tears rolling down her cheeks. In that moment, I realized she really did care about me, more than I ever would have imagined. I cradled her face in my hands, using my thumbs to wipe away the tears.

"I am okay, Gracie," I reassured her. "Do you hear me? I'm okay. I'm going to be okay. No one is trying to hurt me." Grace looked up at me, tears shining in her eyes. There was also a look of pain and fear, like it hurt her to watch me leave. Looking at Grace, I was suddenly reminded of that feeling I had in my father's office, where it felt like something was off about this whole press conference. Based on everything she had said, it sounded like she thought the same thing. That weird, unsettling feeling slowly came back to me but I forced myself to shake it off. Nothing was going to go wrong. After all, what harm could come with a civil questioning?

I took a deep breath, knowing that I had kept everyone waiting for far too long. I looked towards the crowd and the black car idling in front of the Russian embassy. It was time for me to meet my fate.

As I took a second look at the car, Mikhail turned his head, his eyes meeting mine through the driver's side window. He smiled and waved, before his face took on a look of confusion. He raised his eyebrows at me, no doubt questioning why I was outside the embassy, with friends nonetheless, and why my suit was dirty and torn. I gave him my best apologetic look, figuring I would explain to him on the car ride there. Surely, he'd understand why I had to see Grace one last time.

"We're going to figure out who did it," Grace said. "We're going to find Spence's killer. Before it's too late."

"What do you think's going to happen to me, Gracie?" I asked. It was too late for anything else to go wrong. I headed down the street, towards the Russian embassy. I felt confident that the questioning would go well and that I would be proven innocent.

However, a low rumbling noise quickly proved me wrong. My eyes snapped to the car, where I saw Mikhail's face contorted with fear. Once again, his eyes met mine. I was just barely able to make out what he said before the car exploded with a sharp bang, taking him with it. _Ya lyublyu tebya, Lyosha. I love you, Alexei._

* * *

**Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Next chapter will be up between Feb. 16 and Feb. 25. **

**So Alexei got drugged (by Grace, nonetheless) and Mikhail is dead. I hope I did justice to Mikhail's death, especially with how I portrayed his character. What do you think happens next?**


	17. Chapter 17 - I Can Handle Rough

**Hey guys, I'm back earlier rather than later with another chapter! I had a long weekend and wanted to get this chapter up before I start my last unit of diseases and medications (which is supposedly a hard unit). Even though this chapter serves as a critical turning point in the books, I feel like it didn't quite turn out well in Alexei's POV (since it feels like something is missing to me and it's shorter than my other chapters). So this chapter may not be as good quality compared to my other ones ¯\\_(****ツ****)_/¯**

* * *

**Gonna reply to reviews on the previous chapter, thanks so much to everyone who reviewed!**

**Guest: Going to assume that ending took you by surprise, I hope you liked it!**

* * *

**Disclaimer****: I do not own the Embassy Row series and all the characters (except for Tanner and Jordan and Alexei's Moscow friends (Roman, Eugene, Josef, and Yulia), who are my own creations). They belong to Ally Carter. I am merely using her characters and plotline to create this fanfiction. This fanfiction is purely for entertainment purposes and would not exist without Ally Carter's wonderful works. **

**The events that happen in this fanfiction are not meant to be representative of real life. Any similarities to any real-life events or fictional works is purely coincidental and not intentional (with the exception of the original Embassy Row books by Ally Carter since this fanfiction is literally See How They Run but from Alexei's, not Grace's, perspective). The character's actions may not always reflect my own opinions or views. Based on what happens or is mentioned in this chapter (spoiler alert), I do not condone murder or aiding a fugitive. **

**Trigger warning: mild to moderate  
****This fanfiction is rated T, for suggestive themes, language, and violence. This chapter contains talk about mental health issues and death, which may be triggering to some readers. Read at your own discretion.**

* * *

Chapter Seventeen: I Can Handle Rough

I was vaguely aware of the voices around me, the conversation serving as background noise and nothing more, the words going in one ear and out the other. I had no idea what they were talking about, not when the sound of the explosion kept ringing in my ears.

I wasn't sure where they had taken me, as I had blindly followed their lead, willing myself to put one foot in front of the other until I was finally offered a place to sit. It wasn't the Russian embassy though; this place was too dirty to match its pristine interior. Besides, I couldn't bear to think of the embassy without Mikhail there.

Mikhail. The man who had loved me more than my own father had. The man who had raised me like his own child. The man who had given up everything for me, including his life. I couldn't stop replaying that scene in my mind. Although I was far away from the Russian embassy, the only thing I could see was the black car blowing up in a burst of flames. I couldn't get Mikhail's horrified face out of my mind. It was an image that would haunt my waking moments and my nightmares forever.

Mostly, I couldn't stop replaying Mikhail's last words to me. _Ya lyublyu tebya, Lyosha. I love you, Alexei._ He could have told me to run or to stay safe, but instead, he told me that he loved me. He really had loved me more than anything else in this world and now, he was gone, so brutally and unfairly ripped away from this world. He had been the kindest, most loving man and didn't deserve to die. I cursed the universe for the way it worked. I guessed good things didn't always happen to good people after all.

I supposed I should have felt sadness or anger but I didn't. I didn't feel anything. I just felt numb, like I was a hollow and empty shell of my former self. It was like a part of me had been ripped away when Mikhail had been taken with that exploding car. And it was a part of me that I'd never get back. I supposed this was how Mikhail had felt when Natalia had died. Or how Grace had felt when her mother had died. Both of them had recovered but they weren't the same. And now that Mikhail was gone, I feared that I wasn't going to be the same person I had been before.

"I knew him." I hadn't realized I had said that out loud, not until I felt three pairs of eyes on me. I looked up, meeting Grace's eyes. She would understand. She had faced death before and looked it directly in the eye.

"The man in the car. His name was Mikhail. He was my father's personal driver. I know him. I mean … I knew him. He taught me to ride a bicycle." And so much more than that. Over the years, he had taught me so much about life and love, from the practical to the wise. And now, he'd never be there for me again.

"I'm so sorry, Alexei," Megan said, patting my hand. "We're all so, so sorry." Mikhail had been so much more than my father's personal driver though. He had celebrated all the good times with me and held me close during the bad times. He was the man that I truly looked up to and strove to be like. Most importantly, he was the man that I would almost dare to call my dad, not the man who had passed his genes onto me but the man who had nurtured me and loved me unconditionally. That was an honour I would never bestow upon my father. How could I, when my father had beat me mercilessly throughout the years and had never shown me more than an ounce of love.

"Second floor!" Grace called out. I was momentarily confused, broken out of my reverie by the sound of pounding footsteps. It was only when a tiny, blonde blur burst into the room did I realize who it was.

"Grace, I got your text," Rosie said, her voice frantic. Her eyes darted around the room, looking, searching. "Where is he? Is he …" Her wide, terrified eyes met mine. All at once, a look of relief filled her face. She hurled across the room, launching herself towards me. I barely had time to react, managing to catch her at the last second. I put my arms around her and pulled her close.

"I was so worried," Rosie croaked, her voice full of emotion. I rested my cheek on the top of her head, as she folded herself into my lap.

"I am okay, Rosemarie. All is well," I replied. Even though nothing was alright, I wasn't going to say that, for fear of upsetting Rosie more. She had already been so upset when she burst into the room, frantically searching for me to make sure I was okay. Yes, she was officially a teenager now, but in my eyes, she was still just an innocent, little girl. I didn't want to shatter that innocence just yet.

"Did you get it?" Grace asked.

Rosie handed a large bag to Grace. "Of course. It's a madhouse out there. The embassies are all closed off and the street is blocked and there are television cameras everywhere. But it was easy. No one paid any attention to me."

Grace opened the bag and started digging through its contents. She pulled out an older iPhone model from a few years back, eyeing it questionably. I didn't blame her. I could almost imagine Tanner having a heart attack if he had to part with his newest edition iPhone and use the model in Grace's hand.

"The embassy keeps those for staff and visiting dignitaries," Rosie said. "No one has used them in months. They won't be missed." It looked like I was going to have to part with the new iPhone I had purchased last year for that older one. However, it was a necessary sacrifice, to keep my father or anyone else from tracking me. I only hoped that Tanner wouldn't send an endless flood of Snaps or texts. It would only raise suspicions, which was the last thing we needed.

"Rosie, I love you," Grace said.

"Most people do," Rosie replied, with a nonchalant shrug. She snuggled closer to me and I squeezed her tight. Yup, Rosie was a very likeable person.

"Don't worry," Grace said. "We're going to keep you safe until we can find a way to get you out of Adria."

"I'm not leaving the country," I said, my voice strong and steady. Even though there were many things I was uncertain about at the moment, that was one thing I knew for sure, that I would not leave Adria.

"You're not safe here."

"I will not run away like a coward." I had to do the honourable thing and face the consequences. Even Adria wasn't safe for me anymore, I couldn't just pack my bags and leave everyone behind, vanishing without a trace. I got myself into this mess; now I had to do the right thing and get myself out of it.

"If you stay here, whoever blew up the car is going to find you. And they are going to kill you. And maybe not just you. Don't tell me you still want to turn yourself in?" I thought about what Grace had said. She had a point. Whoever blew up the car had obviously wanted to target me, not Mikhail. Mikhail hadn't done anything wrong. On the other hand, I was accused of murdering a West Point cadet. I imagined there would be a few people who would want to seek vengeance for that and right it by killing me. I had no idea who those people were or the lengths they would go to kill me. However, I did know that I would face whatever consequences there were, even if it meant turning myself in. As much as I didn't want to do that, I knew I would do it, if it meant that more innocent lives would be saved. I quickly considered my other options, all of which weren't great. I decided to go with the least harmful course of action.

"I must return to the embassy. I'll be safe there, and in the meantime –"

"Alexei! Stop!" Megan screamed. I turned towards her, surprised. She wasn't one to start screaming at random. That was a Grace thing to do. "It was a _Russian_ car, housed and maintained in a _Russian_ garage. And it exploded." Megan eyed me carefully, as if waiting for me to realize the implications of what she was saying. I sat there confused, not immediately understanding.

"Someone got to it from _inside_ the Russian embassy," Megan continued. "Which means …"

"You can't go home," Noah finished, placing a hand on my shoulder. All at once, the gravity of the situation hit me. I immediately wanted to protest. I had to go back to the embassy. Even though Mikhail wasn't there anymore, it was still my home. It was where I belonged and it was only right for me to go back there. Besides, I didn't have anywhere else to go. However, I couldn't stop thinking about how quickly the press conference had been set up. My father had spear-headed that whole operation. He had been in control of every single detail, right down to the car that would have taken me to the police headquarters.

I suddenly stopped short, my train of thought screeching to a grinding halt. My father. Had he been behind Mikhail's death? I couldn't imagine why my father would want to kill Mikhail; after all, they had been friends for many years. However, my father had been willing to put me in a chokehold, not once, but twice. Besides, he used to be an assassin with the Russian Special Forces. Somehow, it wasn't a stretch for me to imagine that he'd sacrifice his friend if necessary or willingly murder his own son. That thought brought me to another startling realization. What if my father had killed Spence, however far-fetched it may have been? After all, he had no reason to do so and didn't even know the guy.

Yet, to an accomplished sharpshooter like my father, I supposed killing was the same, regardless of who the person was. It didn't matter if my father knew the person or not, all he had to do was aim and fire, or in Spence's case, tackle and squeeze, and that person would be dead in a matter of seconds. With skill like that, my father had the potential to kill literally anyone. And if we weren't careful, any of us could be next. I wondered if my father would try to kill me again, given that his first attempt had failed. I wouldn't be surprised if he did, just to prove that he could.

"We'll hide him!" Megan exclaimed, breaking me out of my thoughts.

"Where?" Noah asked, turning to face Megan.

"I know a place," Rosie said. I regarded her curiously, wondering what she could be talking about. I was just about to ask her when Grace spoke up.

"Is there another embassy that would take him?" she asked. "I know the US won't do it, but what about –" Unfortunately, I never found out which embassy Grace suggested taking me to because at that moment, a piercing whistle filled the room. I winced, as the sound was maybe two feet from my ears. I looked down at Rosie, wondering how such a loud noise could have come from such a tiny girl.

"As I was saying," Rosie started slowly, "I happen to know a place. It's just that, it may be a little … rough."

Rosie looked up at me, seeking my approval. Maybe it was the innocent look in her eyes or the way she seemed genuinely concerned about my well-being. Either way, I couldn't help but grin at her. "I can handle rough."

* * *

"Do you have everything you need?" Grace asked again.

"I will be fine, Gracie. Thank you," I replied, looking at her. At this point, I had lost track of how many times Grace had asked me that. I wasn't annoyed at her, but worried. Worried that she had put her faith in me and was actually concerned about my well-being. I didn't want Grace to be worried about me. She didn't need to be dragged into my problems, not when she had so many of her own.

I glanced at the random assortment of objects on the dirt floor. They would be my only belongings for the next little while. Gone was my spacious bedroom with an attached bathroom, my closet full of nice suits, and my many electronic devices. Aside from the torn suit I had changed out of, all I had now was a small cave hidden in the hills at the northern edge of Valancia. I took in the narrow entrance that I just barely fit through, thanks to my tall frame, and the stone ceiling above me. I glanced at the cracks in the ceiling, seeing tiny glimpses of the dark night sky outside. If my situation wasn't so dire, then this would have been a beautiful place to camp out for a night.

"Noah's dad likes to go camping," Grace said. "He managed to smuggle out a stove and a sleeping bag, and we have some water and protein bars in that bag. You're supposed to be able to make coffee with one of those contraptions, but the instructions are in Portuguese, so –"

"Grace," I said, placing my hands on her arms. She was rambling, a sure sign that something was bothering her. I really hoped she wasn't worked up about me staying out here. I could take care of myself. I would be just fine out here, on my own.

"We're going to take turns bringing you food and stuff, so don't worry. Someone will be here tomorrow with –"

"Grace, I'm fine." Her hands started shaking and I instantly knew what was bothering her.

"If there is anything in particular you'd like, just let me know. You've got Rosie's phone and all of our numbers, but we probably shouldn't use them except for emergencies because –"

"Grace," I said, pulling her close to me. She finally relented, sinking into my arms.

"When I saw that car explode …"

"I know." I smoothed her hair down so I could rest my cheek against the top of her head. I held her tighter, as if trying to protect her from her demons.

"I smelled smoke. I hate the smell of smoke. My mom … There was a fire. And ever since then …" She started shaking again, the tremors rippling throughout her entire body this time. I held her tighter, trying to calm the quivers that ran throughout her.

"It's okay." I hadn't known that smoke and fire triggered her panic attacks, if that's what they were. However, everything made so much sense now. Like the way she had jumped in the street, after the credentials ball, when the streetlight flickered and how she seemed to lose her mind anytime smoke or fire was mentioned.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry, Alexei," she said, like it was a well-rehearsed line. I had to stop myself from staring at her in shock. What on Earth did she have to apologize for? If anything, I should be apologizing to her, for creating this giant mess and dragging her into it. I shouldn't have been fighting over her like she was an object to be owned. Yet, thanks to my unfortunate male pride and my feelings for her, I had done just that and created something so much worse. If there was an award for screw-up of the year, then I was definitely in the running. Somehow, that thought made me laugh, especially as I realized that Grace had saved me from screwing up even more.

"I have never been drugged before. It was a new experience for me. And considering it saved my life …"

"Not for that." Grace pulled away from me, wiping her nose on her sleeve. "For my country. For how quick we were to hate you. I'm so sorry we're so out for vengeance." I fell silent at that. I couldn't believe she had taken it upon herself to apologize to me, on behalf of her entire country. After all, it wasn't her fault. I wasn't surprised that the United States reacted so strongly to Spence's death, given that the country was known for being headstrong. In their political eyes, I may have been a wanted man but that didn't mean all its citizens wanted Spence's death to be avenged.

"Are _you_ not out for vengeance, Gracie?"

"Not from you." Did she not want to be like the rest of her country? Or was it something much deeper than that, something personal? Whatever the reason, I wouldn't ever know.

Grace pushed herself away from me. I noticed how she winced as she put her hand on her side. Had she gotten hurt? What if one of those American college students had injured her, either inadvertently or on purpose, for being associated with me? It looked like Grace wasn't going to be the only one out for vengeance. And if I wasn't careful, then I could end up taking things much further than she would. After all, my fight with Spence was ample proof of that.

I looked up through the cracks in the ceiling, noting how it had gotten infinitely darker. I leaned down to turn on a lantern, no doubt belonging to Noah's father. A warm, yellow glow filled the cave, creating shadows that lit up the stone walls.

"It's getting late," I said. "You should go home. It would not do for your grandfather and Jamie to worry." Besides, I was pretty sure neither of them would be thrilled to find out Grace had been associating with me, a Russian and a wanted man. At this point, I was probably the worst influence possible on her.

"What about you?"

"What about me?" This cave was all I had now. I was a wanted man and couldn't go back to my old life ever again, not without risking my life.

"I mean, should someone tell your dad that you're okay?" I had to stop myself from laughing. My father would not care at all if I had died. The fact that he had likely been willing to murder me himself clearly proved that.

"Everyone at the embassy will know I wasn't in the car. They will feel nothing but relief." My father was probably glad that he had one less nuisance to deal with in his life. I wasn't his problem anymore, now that I wasn't at the embassy.

"They're going to think …" That I had run off? That I had killed myself? Honestly, the possibilities were endless. However, I wasn't going to worry about that. I couldn't care less what my father thought of me, not when I had more important things to take care of. Right now, it was my very survival.

"Grace?"

"Yes?" She swayed closer.

"I'm going to be okay," I said. She looked like she didn't believe me. I didn't want her worrying about me though. I could take care of myself. I would be okay.

"Of course you will," Grace said, even though she still didn't look convinced.

"And, Grace …" I couldn't help but brush a piece of her hair out of her face, tucking it behind her ear. "You'll be okay too."

* * *

**Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Next chapter will be up between Mar. 16 and Mar. 24. I've got 4 exams and 3 assignments due over the next 4 weeks so there will be a bit of a longer wait for the next chapter. Thanks for being understanding; I'll see you in a month! **


	18. Chapter 18-Musings of a Russian Fugitive

**Hey guys, I hope you've all been doing well! This chapter is basically Alexei monologuing about his situation and is a bit filler-y so you can skip it if it doesn't interest you (I don't think you'd be missing out on anything critical if you do).**

* * *

**Gonna reply to reviews on the previous chapter, thanks so much to everyone who reviewed!**

**Guest: Honestly sounds about right :P Oh, how much his life has changed since the start of Falling for You.**

**Allison Claire: Thank you for your kind words, my exams went well! I'm happy to hear that you're enjoying my stories. I definitely try my best to stay true to the original plot while adding details that enhance Alexei's storyline. The Mikhail/Alexei scenes were some of my favourite ones to write and I really wanted to develop Mikhail and Alexei's relationship since Mikhail seemed to be a big part of Alexei's life. I was just as sad as you when Mikhail died in On the Run. Haha, I'm a bit of a grammar nut so I strive to ensure that my stories are well written and edited. Your grammar and spelling is quite good too! **

**Potato: I do have a few more surprise appearances from Tanner and Jordan planned for On the Run! Stay tuned ;)**

* * *

**Disclaimer****: I do not own the Embassy Row series and all the characters (except for Tanner and Jordan and Alexei's Moscow friends (Roman, Eugene, Josef, and Yulia), who are my own creations). They belong to Ally Carter. I am merely using her characters and plotline to create this fanfiction. This fanfiction is purely for entertainment purposes and would not exist without Ally Carter's wonderful works. **

**The events that happen in this fanfiction are not meant to be representative of real life. Any similarities to any real-life events or fictional works is purely coincidental and not intentional (with the exception of the original Embassy Row books by Ally Carter since this fanfiction is literally See How They Run but from Alexei's, not Grace's, perspective). The character's actions may not always reflect my own opinions or views. **

**Trigger warning: mild to moderate  
****This fanfiction is rated T, for suggestive themes, language, and violence. This chapter contains ****mildly suicidal thoughts**** and mentions of death, mental health, sexual assault, and abuse. Read at your own discretion. If you are experiencing thoughts of harming yourself or suicide, please reach out to a loved one, a mental health professional, or a suicide hotline.**

* * *

Chapter Eighteen: Musings of a Russian Fugitive

I stared after Grace as she climbed out of the narrow cave entrance. Now that she had left, I would be on my own for the rest of the night. I took a deep breath, noting the peace and quiet. Up here, away from the hustle and bustle of Valancia, all I could hear was the sounds of the waves. It was hard to believe that mobs currently crowded the streets, as it seemed like I was a million miles away from them. I listened to my own breathing, which almost seemed too loud amidst the serene silence. If I didn't feel like I constantly had to watch my back, then I would have enjoyed the quiet. Now, it felt like law enforcement was sitting in the shadows and watching me, waiting for the perfect moment to arrest me. I couldn't shake that unsettling feeling, no matter how hard I tried. I only hoped I wouldn't have to live with that feeling for the rest of my life.

I looked around at the assortment of survival gear strewn about the cave floor. I started reorganizing all of it into neat piles, in an attempt to calm my nerves. Besides, if I was going to be here indefinitely, it wouldn't hurt to make myself comfortable.

I arranged the portable stove and other food-making contraptions at one end of the cave. I laid out a couple protein bars and water bottles for easy access, leaving the rest in a backpack I had designated as my emergency bag. If I had to leave this place at a moment's notice, I'd just have to take the bag with me and run.

I laid out the sleeping bag and a couple changes of clothes at the opposite end of the cave. I placed my emergency bag at the head of the sleeping bag, to use as a pillow. Plus, it'd be easily accessible if I had to leave in the middle of the night.

I left the center of the cave open, so I could make a fire if needed. I doubted that'd be necessary though, given how warm it was at this time of year. I wasn't sure if Noah had smuggled out a fire-starting kit, among with the horde of items he had stolen from his father's stash of camping gear. Surely, there'd be a set of matches in there somewhere. Hopefully, I could collect firewood close by.

As a final touch, I placed one battery-powered lantern, courtesy of Noah, in each of the four corners of the cave. I experimentally turned on the lantern by the head of the sleeping bag. It emitted a warm, yellow glow. It wasn't a stretch to imagine the sunset cottage vibe that would result from turning on all the lanterns. I wouldn't dare to do that though, as it would unnecessarily drain their batteries, a stupid move. I was just going to keep the one lantern on. That was all I'd be needing, just one light as a reminder of the next day waiting for me.

After rearranging everything nicely, I sat down on the sleeping bag, taking in my surroundings. To my surprise, the cave now looked somewhat homey. And that was all thanks to my friends for bringing me items that I'd need to live here, at least temporarily. I honestly wasn't sure how I could repay them. After all, they were, quite literally, breaking the law by aiding a fugitive. I wasn't even super close with Megan, Noah, and Rosie, not in the way I was with Tanner, Jordan, and Jamie. Yet, they risked everything, including their lives, to help me survive.

I wondered if Tanner and Jordan were willing to do that. Did bros for life extend to aiding a fugitive bro who was framed for a crime he didn't commit? It was hard to say. Knowing Tanner, he'd likely freak out over my fugitive status. I figured I was better off in the hands of Grace, Megan, Noah, and Rosie, who managed to get me settled in this cave within the span of an afternoon. I doubted Tanner and Jordan would have been able to pull off something like that.

Even though I was faring pretty well now, none of this would have happened if I hadn't been so careless at that party. Maybe my father was right; maybe I did act based off my emotions. After all, I hadn't given any second thought to punching Spence. I just went for it and before I knew it, we had started a fight. In that moment, I hadn't thought about whether I was doing the logical thing or not. All I knew was that I had to do the right thing. And in that moment, that was hurting Spence and making sure he got the appropriate punishment for hurting Grace. I just hadn't expected it to go so far. However, I would gladly take all those hits again for Grace. I knew I would do anything to protect her and keep her safe. I would even be willing to jump off a bridge for her, if it meant that she would be okay. I guessed Tanner and Jordan were right; maybe I had fallen for Grace, and hard. I couldn't recall feeling so strongly about a girl before, not even Lila or Yulia.

So maybe starting a fight with Spence was slightly foolish. Looking back, I still thought it was the right thing to do, even though it definitely wasn't the logical thing. In my eyes, Spence had no right to kiss Grace without her permission, an act that was practically sexual assault. Did he not have any idea how to treat women? Yes, it was just a kiss, but Grace clearly didn't have any say in it, making it non-consensual. I might not have been the best at thinking rationally, according to my father, but at least I knew how to treat women. I hoped that Spence had enough decency to not harm Grace any further. Yet, for all I knew, they could have had some nice forest sex and I wouldn't have been any the wiser.

As far as I was concerned, Grace had more or less been physically safe on the island, aside from the kiss. She was strong and resilient, at least on the outside. It was the demons inside her head, more than I could possibly imagine, that caused the real harm. I believed no one knew the full extent of what she was dealing with, not even Jamie. I had likely only scratched the surface. And as hard as I tried, I couldn't protect Grace from her demons, not until she decided to let me in. Even though I wanted to be the one to destroy anything that would dare to harm her, I had a feeling that Grace's battles with her demons were something she had to tackle alone. The most I could do now was promise to stay by her side and be there if she ever needed me. At the moment, I wasn't doing a great job at that and it made me feel guilty. Even though it wasn't always at the forefront of my mind, I still hadn't forgotten the promise I had made to Jamie at the start of the summer. It was my duty to keep an eye on Grace and make sure she stayed out of trouble. Now, with my wanted status, the roles had been reversed. I was pretty sure Jamie wouldn't be too thrilled about that. I was supposed to be the protector, not the protected.

Either way, I would be whatever Grace needed me to be, whether it was a shoulder to cry on or a partner in crime. Hadn't I already proved that to her, that night on the wall? I would gladly listen to her ramble about everything and nothing again, to hear the way she talked so passionately. I would be devastated if she ever lost that passion or fighting spirit. It was part of what made her so head-strong. I couldn't imagine Grace as a numb, empty shell of herself, without her fighting spirit. That Grace would be a zombie to me, a far cry from the vibrant being she usually was. Yet, was that zombie the person she had been the week I was in Moscow? Megan had updated me every day, saying that Grace had refused to see anyone and that when they did finally see her, she had not been herself. I cursed my luck, for not having been able to be with Grace when she undoubtedly needed me the most. If I had been there for her, would she not have retreated into that shell? Would she have recovered faster? There was no way of knowing though. Besides, Grace seemed fine now and I had to hope that the demons weren't taking her over, like they had last week. I had to focus on the present and my current situation.

Glancing up through the hole at the top of the cave, I noted that the sky had visibly darkened. It was probably a good idea to get some sleep, before it got too late. But even though my body was physically exhausted, my mind was still spinning in overdrive. There was no way I'd be able to fall asleep, at least not for a while. Nonetheless, I forced myself to climb into the sleeping bag, hoping the act of crawling under the covers would tell my mind it was time to sleep. I turned off the lantern, extinguishing the warm glow that had permeated the cave. Now, I was bathed in darkness, like the darkness my mind was threatening to fall into, as it refused to shut up. I couldn't stop replaying everything that had happened over the last few days. The fight with Spence at the party. Me and Spence, alone in the ruins. Spence's body washing ashore, tangled in the weeds. Jamie's anguished screams upon finding out his friend had died. And the car. Oh, that black car, bursting into a terrifying display of fire and smoke, taking the last remnants of my childhood with it. It still didn't seem real that Mikhail was gone. I was half-expecting him to show up any moment, to tell me that everything would be okay and that he would help me out of this mess. But I would never see Mikhail again.

If I had been in that car with Mikhail, I very well would have died too. Would death have been a better fate than hiding out as a fugitive? As it was, my future was looking pretty bleak and uncertain. All I had ahead of me were days spent hiding out in these hills, hoping my past wouldn't catch up with me. There wasn't a whole lot I could do up here, not unless I wanted to make my presence known and risk facing arrest. Then again, death was just as uncertain. I wasn't sure what happened after death. Would my soul be transported onto the afterlife, whatever that was, or would it stay trapped on Earth, thanks to all the unfinished business I had here? Neither option particularly thrilled me. However, death came with the release of pain. If I died, I would be free of all the suffering I was going through now. Yet, my death would only cause my suffering and pain to be passed onto those remaining here. Lila, Tanner, and Jordan would be absolutely devastated if I died. So would Noah, Megan, Rosie, and my Moscow friends. My relationship with the Blakely siblings was complicated right now but deep down, I knew they would be crushed if I died. My teachers would be upset upon hearing about my passing and so would everyone I knew as an acquaintance, like ambassadors, classmates, and friends' parents.

As ridiculous as it sounded, my father wouldn't care if I had died. He would likely treat me as another nameless, faceless victim he had sniped and move on with his life. My father would have less headaches to deal with if I was out of the picture forever. He wouldn't have to worry about me tainting his prestigious reputation as the ambassador or interfering with his attempts to establish diplomatic relations with whoever he pleased. My father was likely quite relieved that I was gone. If anything, he'd miss having someone he could easily beat up and take his anger out on. After all, my father couldn't beat up any of the lower-ranking embassy staff, not without the risk of criminal charges. I was his personal punching bag, having borne the brunt of his anger over the years.

I rolled over, my back hitting a small rock. I cursed, rubbing my back in pain. This whole 'living it rough' thing was not working out well so far. I had definitely been spoiled by my luxurious embassy life. So much for proving I was super tough. At least no one was here to see me struggle. If my friends were here, they would have a lot to say. I could easily imagine Tanner and Jordan making fun of me, saying that I wasn't a big, bad Russian after all. The thought was almost enough to make me smile.

I crawled out of my sleeping bag, clearing the area of any rocks and sticks that could disturb my sleep. After laying my sleeping bag down flat again, I crawled back in. I stared up through the little hole in the ceiling of the cave, taking in the dark night sky and the shining stars. From my room in the Russian embassy, I didn't have a great view of the sky, especially with the light pollution. Out here, away from the hustle and bustle of the city, the stars dominated the night sky. It was quite calming to look at. As I stared up at the sky, I felt myself physically calming down, my breaths coming slowly and evenly. Even though my life was currently on the line and my future was bleak and unknown, I almost felt safe up here. Sure, I would be found eventually if I stayed here indefinitely. But for the time being, no one would find me. I had to hold onto that reassurance, that tiny sliver of hope. Grace, Noah, Megan, and Rosie would take care of me. I had to trust that they would get this under control and find a way to prove that I was innocent. Otherwise, I'd be a wanted man for life.

That certainly wasn't how I had imagined my summer to turn out. An internationally-acclaimed criminal at the ripe old age of seventeen. For a second, I almost laughed at how absurd that was. Going from a star student and model embassy kid to a delinquent criminal and murderer overnight. I could kiss my dreams of getting a job in a research lab goodbye. With a criminal record, I wouldn't stand a chance. I wondered which careers were accepting of criminals. I came up empty-handed, hoping I hadn't permanently wrecked my future. I didn't want to spend the rest of my life hiding out. That seemed like a very bleak existence to me. Prison didn't seem like a much better option either. I had no idea how long of a sentence I would have to serve if I was convicted of killing Spence but I imagined it wouldn't be a light one. Would I be placed with the most dangerous criminals, those who ran complex drug rings and underground crime networks? If so, I wouldn't last very long. My chances of getting out on bail were pretty slim too. My bail wasn't going to be cheap and I doubted there would be an embassy willing to cough up that money. My father surely wouldn't offer up the money to bail me out. Even with their combined efforts, I doubted my friends would be able to gather up enough money to bail me out. Factoring in my Moscow friends, I might have stood a chance if Josef could convince his father to donate enough money. But that seemed highly unlikely.

I was probably the last person anyone would expect to be a criminal. Surely, my face had to be all over international news by now. Would my teachers believe I could have done such a thing? I thought about Mr. White at the research lab and how he had mentioned my chemistry teacher, Mr. Rutherford, saying all these good things about me. Would he still be saying those things, now that I was a wanted man?

What about my mother? Where would she be in the world right now, if she was still alive? I tried to imagine her roaming the busy streets of Moscow or sitting at a swanky café in Paris or running a quiet, beachside resort in Mexico. Would she see my name and my face on international news and think about her only son, the son she had abandoned all those years ago? Would she regret her decision to run away, thinking that she could have prevented my criminal acts if she had stayed in my life? Or would she merely glance at the TV screen and shrug with indifference?

It was hard for me to believe that anyone could take one look at my face on the TV screen and instantly believe I was a criminal. In a way, it was so unfair. They barely knew anything about me. They didn't know about my accomplishments, my friends, my past. All they knew was that I had been at a party and shouted something that later came true. Would they be quick to judge, based on that one sentence alone? Or would they be skeptical, thinking there was no way someone like me could be a murderer? However, human nature was so complex. Everyone had the potential to be a criminal, to act on those primal instincts and take out a fellow human being. As much those instincts could be ignored, they would always be there, as a stark reminder of the animals that humans had evolved from.

With that in mind, anyone could have murdered Spence. Even though I knew I was innocent, there was no way I could have proven that. If I had gone to the press conference for a thorough probing, revealing every little detail about myself, would my innocence have been proven, leaving me as a free man? However, I wondered if the press conference had merely been a setup, considering the car that was supposed to take me there had conveniently exploded. Maybe the press conference had just been a dead end all along.

Still, going to the press conference would have been the honourable thing to do, to reveal that I had nothing to hide. It was my duty to my country, to show that I was innocent and to prevent further tainting of Russia's reputation. My loyalties were still with Russia, as it was a key part of my identity. I was not going to give that up so easily. Despite all the years I had lived in Adria, I would always be Russian to the core. I would still put my faith in the Russian embassy, even though they were most likely behind the explosion of the car. After all, I had nowhere else to go, not if I wanted to be a man without a country. I very well couldn't give up my ethnicity just like that.

I could always start over. Escape Adria and move to a faraway country. Take on a new name, a new identity. Build a fake past. If Spence's true murderer was never found, then that was always a possible solution. Yet, I didn't know if I wanted to spend the rest of my life on the run, having to live a web of lies and constantly watch my back, in case my past ever caught up with me. It sounded exhausting, to say the least. I was already worn out from today and it had only been one day. I couldn't imagine being on the run for the rest of my life.

Besides, that meant I wouldn't be able to see anyone from my current life ever again. I would be fine with not seeing my father. He probably didn't even care if I was dead or alive. I would be fine with not seeing my mother either. I had already lived ten years without her and could handle another ten years without her just fine. That hole in my heart she had created by leaving me had long since iced over. Mikhail was dead so it wasn't like I could see him again, even if I wanted to. I was going to miss him dearly. There wasn't anyone who could possibly replace him in my life. I was also going to miss all my friends if I had to go on the run and couldn't ever see them again.

Tanner and Jordan. My two closest friends, my ride-or-die bros. I was so grateful for their friendship and had gotten super close to them, especially over the last few years. It would be hard living without them. Although I would never admit it to them, their crazy antics kept me on my toes in an otherwise quiet life. If I ever got married one day, they would, without a doubt, be my groomsmen. I would miss them greatly if I never got to see them again, as un-manly as it sounded.

Jamie. I had learned a lot from him over the years. Although we hadn't been very close lately, I knew he still cared about me and would come through for me if need be. We had been friends for as long as I could remember and I couldn't imagine losing that friendship, even now.

Roman, Eugene, and Josef. I would miss them too and all the crazy adventures we had. Last week, I had been living the good life with them, making the most of the late nights and our endless, teenage energy. Now, I was reminiscing about all those memories, as I felt like I didn't get to spend enough time with them. Besides, I wasn't sure if I'd ever get to go to Moscow and see them again.

Noah, Megan, and Rosie. At the start of the summer, I hadn't known them very well. But now, I considered them friends, and perhaps more. They were so selfless, aiding me without hesitation. I hadn't truly taken the time to appreciate them and everything they had done for me. If necessary, I knew they would do this all over again, and more, for me.

Yulia. The girl who had caught my attention almost immediately in Moscow. Would she look at the international news reports and believe that I was a murderer? I had treated her well the entire time I was in Moscow; she told me as much herself. Would she ever want to speak to me again, now that I was a wanted criminal? Would she regret wanting to have a casual, summer fling with me? I still felt bad for the way I had led her on, when Grace was still on the back of my mind. Would she ever forgive me for that, especially with my current wanted status?

Lila. In many ways, she was my first love. The first girl I had kissed that wasn't in a truth or dare or spin the bottle game. We had an interesting relationship. Not really friends, but not really lovers either. I wasn't sure what she'd think of me now. The news reports wouldn't sway her as easily as it would other people, I knew that much. She knew me well enough to make her own judgements. I just hoped that the allegations against me wouldn't destroy what we had and everything that we had shared.

Grace. She was my drug and my poison, filling every fiber of my being. She had been there for me through every step of this mess. She told me that she believed me and didn't think I had murdered Spence. But would her grandfather and Ms. Chancellor try to persuade her otherwise? No, she was too head-strong to be easily swayed by their opinions. I had to put my faith in that. Because if Grace didn't believe in me and my innocence, I would probably start to question myself. Maybe I would go crazy, like she had. However, I told myself that I wouldn't lose my mind. Grace had supported me from the start and would continue to stay by my side. She wouldn't give up on me that easily. I had to trust that she would believe in me, just like I had believed in her about her Scarred Man business.

I forced myself to stop thinking negative thoughts and to focus on happy thoughts, joyful memories that would help me fall asleep. I thought about my friends and all the good times I had with them, bringing a smile to my face. It didn't take long for those happy memories to calm me down, as my mind started cycling through them, like a film strip on repeat. At long last, I finally drifted off, as I held onto what were potentially the last happy moments of my life.

* * *

**Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Next chapter will be up between Apr. 4 and Apr. 14 (though I'm hoping to get it up sooner rather than later because it seems like an easy edit). Any guesses as to which characters will be making an appearance next chapter? **

**I'm sure everyone is aware of the global COVID-19 pandemic. As a result of that, all my lectures and tutorials have been moved online and my exams and clinical skills sessions have been postponed until it's safe to return to campus. Despite this, I'm aiming to stick to my current upload plan, with new chapters every 2-3 weeks. However, that may change depending on how the pandemic turns out. **

**Because this pandemic is still ongoing and won't die down soon unless global action is taken, I encourage everyone to practice proper hygiene (coughing and sneezing into your elbow, washing your hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds) and physical distancing (only going out for the essentials, like groceries, outdoor exercise, or your pet's needs). For the next little while, I'd strongly encourage everyone to do their part and stay informed in this battle against COVID-19. Stay safe and stay home; I'll see you all in a couple weeks! **


	19. Chapter 19 - Lila to the Rescue

**Hey guys, I hope you've been doing well! The last few chapters have been pretty serious so read on for some comic relief featuring everyone's favourite duo! ;)**

* * *

**Gonna reply to reviews on the previous chapter, thanks so much to everyone who reviewed!**

**Allison Claire: Thank you for your kind words; I'm glad you enjoyed that chapter! I tried to make it realistic but not boring. I hope this chapter finds you well! **

**Guest: Good job on picking up the foreshadowing! I like to throw some in every now and then ;)**

**A New Look: I'm glad you're enjoying this story!**

* * *

**Disclaimer****: I do not own the Embassy Row series and all the characters (except for Tanner and Jordan and Alexei's Moscow friends (Roman, Eugene, Josef, and Yulia), who are my own creations). They belong to Ally Carter. I am merely using her characters and plotline to create this fanfiction. This fanfiction is purely for entertainment purposes and would not exist without Ally Carter's wonderful works. **

**The events that happen in this fanfiction are not meant to be representative of real life. Any similarities to any real-life events or fictional works is purely coincidental and not intentional (with the exception of the original Embassy Row books by Ally Carter since this fanfiction is literally See How They Run but from Alexei's, not Grace's, perspective). The character's actions may not always reflect my own opinions or views. Based on what is mentioned in this chapter (spoiler alert), I do not condone tampering with a crime scene. **

**Trigger warning: none to mild  
****This fanfiction is rated T, for suggestive themes, language, and violence. This chapter contains mild to moderate language and somewhat dark thoughts about death. Read at your own discretion.**

* * *

Chapter Nineteen: Lila to the Rescue

I woke up to the sounds of birds chirping, something I normally didn't hear from my room at the Russian embassy. I rolled over, trying to fall back asleep but it was no use. My mind wouldn't calm down, thanks to the incessant chirping. I sighed, deciding it was time to get up. I checked the time on the emergency phone. 7:00 a.m. It looked like I had a long day ahead of me.

I slowly crawled out of the sleeping bag, noting that I felt stiff. As I attempted to stretch my back, it made tons of cracking noises. I cursed as jolts of pain kept flaring up and down my back. What a lovely start to my morning. This was easily the sorest my back had ever been.

My entire body felt sore and stiff as I stood up. I slowly made my way outside. It was still early enough that there was a low risk of being seen. I slowly stretched every part of my body. It seemed like my whole body was tense and I wondered if that was due to sleeping on the hard cave floor or if the stress of the past few days was really getting to me. I decided it was a combination of both. Either way, I'd really need to get a handle on things, especially if my next few days were to be spent in the cave. I couldn't be wimping out on the first day, not with my future so uncertain.

My body felt much better after that long stretching session. Although I didn't feel completely normal, I felt much less tense. I ate a quick breakfast of a couple protein bars and water. I was still hungry after that though, since I normally ate a lot. Again, it was just another thing that I'd have to get used to with life in the cave, especially since I had no idea when someone would be stopping by with food.

If I was going to be here for an extended period of time, then I would need extra provisions. Even though I doubted I'd need to make a fire, given the warm temperatures, I figured it wouldn't hurt to gather firewood. I set out in search of any small sticks and leaves that could be used to fuel a fire. I made sure not to stray too far from the cave, in case anyone else was out. I had no idea how often this area was frequented but if a search was out for me, then there were potentially no limits to the search boundaries.

I suddenly realized that if I was being pursued, I wouldn't be safe anywhere, whether I was in Valancia, Moscow, or elsewhere in the world. Eventually, I would be found. The only way I would truly be safe again was if my name was cleared. Given the fact that I had missed my one chance at clearing my name, my safety didn't seem very likely anymore. I wasn't sure if I'd ever get another opportunity to prove my innocence. I didn't want to spend the rest of my life bearing the burden for another man's crimes. But if my name wasn't cleared and my innocence wasn't proven, then I could very well be stuck in this cave, or in prison, for the rest of my life. Neither of those options sounded particularly appealing to me.

After doing a lap around the surrounding area, making sure the cave was in my sight at all times, I had collected a decent pile of kindling. I carried it back to the cave, setting it next to my plethora of miscellaneous supplies. I did a quick inventory of everything I had, deciding I would be fine for a while. I had to put my faith in Grace, Noah, Megan, and Rosie and trust they would bring any necessary supplies. Without them, it wouldn't be long before I ran out of food and water. I supposed I could always take the risk of finding my own food, like gathering berries and plants and hunting down small animals. I wasn't sure if there was a water filtration kit somewhere in my supplies, so I could filter river water or rainwater. In any case, it wouldn't hurt to have my own supply of food and water, if someone wasn't able to come bring me food. I was starting to feel like I was in the Hunger Games, except it was for my own survival, rather than entertainment for some sick-minded psychos. Either way, if things didn't work out, then I would be paying the price with my life.

I shuddered at that dark thought. I had never given much thought to my mortality until now. Yet, given the rate things were going, my death was starting to look more certain with each passing moment. I didn't feel prepared for that yet and probably wasn't going to accept that fact until I was facing certain death, whether it was at the hands of a masked gunman or a fiery explosion. I startled at how morbid that thought was, wondering when I gotten so cynical. Then again, with everything that had happened over the last few days, it wouldn't be surprising if it had started affecting my sanity. I wondered how much longer I'd have before I went completely insane. I tried not to think about that, losing my mind from spending the rest of my life in a secluded cave. I wondered if I'd die from the loneliness first or if the insanity would encapsulate me, until it drove me to suicide.

I mentally chastised myself for getting so negative. After all, that wasn't going to help anything. I had to stay positive. Grace, Megan, Noah, and Rosie were doing their best to help me through this mess. Besides, this was just the first night, which was always the toughest. It would get easier. I just had to take this one step at a time.

Sitting around and drowning in my thoughts wasn't going to help me. But I knew a workout would. I headed out of the cave, so I'd have more space to spread out. I started with a quick cardio circuit before working my way through a full-body HIIT workout of bodyweight exercises. My body was still quite stiff from sleeping on the cold cave floor last night, making my workout that much harder. I was probably going to wake up in a lot more pain tomorrow. Nonetheless, the workout was still nice, as it was something normal.

By the time I finished, I had worked up a sweat. A shower would have been nice but unfortunately, I didn't have that luxury. I stripped off my sweaty clothes. I grabbed a small washcloth and a bottle of water. Trying to use as little water as possible, I wiped myself down. It wasn't super satisfying but it was enough to get rid of most of the sweat. I still couldn't shake the feeling of uncleanliness though. It was a dull, uncomfortable feeling that lingered in the back of my mind, far enough away that it was out of my consciousness but still powerful enough to linger in my subconscious.

Embassy life really had spoiled me. I had it good living in the Russian embassy. Looking back, I had definitely been taking its perks for granted, with access to resources and opportunities that many others in the world could only dream about. All those balls, fancy parties, opportunities to meet officials from around the world, those were all gone now. There had been so many times that I had dreaded the thought of having to present myself nicely and behave accordingly at yet another fancy event. Yet now, I found myself missing that and would give anything to be able to attend another fancy party. If I ever made it out of this mess and was able to get back to some semblance of my old life, then I would start appreciating all the perks of embassy life for what they were worth.

I rummaged through the backpack, looking for some clean clothes. I found a plain black, crew-neck t-shirt and a pair of cargo shorts, things that I wouldn't normally wear. However, beggars couldn't be choosers and I would just have to make do with what I had. Besides, it felt nice to slip into some clean clothes, as it made me feel a little more human.

I checked the time on the emergency phone. 10:00 a.m. The workout and the stretching session had killed a bit of time but I could still imagine all those endless hours stretching out before me. There wasn't a whole lot to do out here. I really hoped I wouldn't start drowning in my thoughts again, a sure-fire road to insanity.

I suddenly heard voices and panicked. Were Grace, Noah, Megan, and Rosie back already? No, it didn't sound like them. Besides, they would have sent a message on the emergency phone before heading out. Had someone finally caught onto me? Was this going to be the end? However, my fear quickly dissipated as I realized how familiar the voices sounded.

"Bro, where the hell have you been?" I turned to see Tanner poking his head in the cave, Jordan and Lila behind him.

"Camping out for a bit," I replied, gesturing at the small expanse of the cave. I tried my best to hide my surprise for two reasons. One, that Tanner, Jordan, and Lila somehow knew where I was and two, that Lila was hanging out with them. Something about the three of them together seemed super sketchy to me.

"We can see that. Mind giving us a cave tour?" Jordan asked, peeking around Tanner.

"There's not much to see," I said, with a small laugh.

"Damn, they weren't kidding about you living it rough," Tanner replied.

"They?" I asked, confused.

"Grace filled me in," Lila said. Again, I had to hide my surprise. Since when were Grace and Lila on speaking terms?

"Then Lila texted us and now, here we are. How's the caveman life going?" Tanner asked.

"Kinda rough. Not a whole lot to do," I replied honestly.

"I'll say. I barely have one bar of cell service out here," Jordan said.

"So, do you mind telling me what you're doing here?" I asked, cutting to the chase. As nice as it was to see Tanner, Jordan, and Lila, their sudden appearance had seemed kinda fishy from the start.

"Do you want to talk first? Or would you rather eat?" Lila asked. It was then that I noticed the small, white, plastic bag in Lila's hand. The smell of hot food hit me all at once and my mouth instantly started watering.

"I figured you'd go for the food," Lila said, handing me the bag. "Freshly made from Amelia's. Got you your fave." I took the take-out container out of the bag, opening it to be greeted with the best possible sight. A freshly cooked Mediterranean omelette, a large, steaming hot pile of hash browns, and thick slices of rye toast slathered with butter. I grabbed the plastic fork wedged into the container and instantly started digging in.

"Good?" Lila asked, raising an eyebrow at me.

"You have no idea," I mumbled around a mouthful of omelette. Admittedly, I had been starving. Food had never tasted so good in my life.

"I thought so. Figured you'd be hungry," Lila said. I wordlessly kept eating, grateful that Lila had thought to bring me food. Unless I kept getting hand-delivered take-out, this would probably be my last hot and freshly-cooked meal for a while.

"Damn, bro, what is this?" I looked over to see Tanner and Jordan investigating all the gadgets that had been smuggled out for me. Lila zoned in on the object in Tanner's hands and instantly rolled her eyes.

"Oh my god, did Noah _seriously_ smuggle that out?" she groaned. "That's our dad's beloved coffee dripper for camping. He is going to be _pissed_ if he realizes that's missing." Tanner instantly dropped the coffee dripper, like it was on fire.

"I would be careful with that if I were you," Lila chastised. "That is not cheap. Besides, you should have seen Noah's weak attempts at sneaking food from the breakfast table this morning. The kitchen staff were totally onto him."

"I wouldn't be surprised. That guy knows how to charm but he really lacks the guts to do the serious stuff," Jordan said.

"I'll say. He really needs to learn a thing or two from me," Lila replied. She turned towards me. "After all, I was successfully able to get you enough food to last at least a week or two." I looked up from my take-out container in confusion. Lila just looked at Tanner and Jordan. Like they were under a spell, the two of them climbed out of the cave, returning with tons of reusable cloth grocery bags.

"I took them on a little trip to the grocery store this morning," Lila said. "We filled those bags to the brim." Tanner and Jordan set the bags in front of me. I took a quick peek inside them. They were filled with all sorts of non-perishable, ready to eat food items like cereal boxes, granola bars, protein bars, canned nuts, dried fruit packets, and fruit cups. Jordan also brought in a twenty-four pack of bottled water.

"In case Grace and company keep failing at bringing you food, I thought I'd get you prepared," Lila said.

"You honestly didn't have to do this for me," I replied, stunned.

"Of course, you'll have to be careful in case wild animals decide to come and steal your food," Lila said. "But that should last you a while."

"I honestly think I'll be good for at least a month or two. Thank you so much, Lila." I couldn't stop myself from looking down at the bags in awe. What had I done to deserve Lila's kindness? We had a rocky relationship and a tumultuous history, to say the least, but here she was, pulling through for me in the most unexpected ways.

"Oh, by the way, this is also for you." Lila handed me a smaller bag. I looked inside, seeing all the toiletries I could possibly need, and then some. Toilet paper, hand sanitizer, mouthwash, deodorant, dry shampoo, wet wipes. She really had thought of everything.

"Wow, Lila, this is too much," I said, setting the bag down next to the sleeping bag. "I mean it, thank you so much." I didn't know how I could possibly repay her for this.

"Don't worry about it," Lila said, with a dismissive wave. I set down my empty take-out container, dragging the grocery bags over to the portable stove. I'd have to figure out where to hide them strategically, so I'd still have enough provisions in the event of an animal invasion.

"Oh my god, how much shit did Noah smuggle out of the embassy?" Lila groaned, eyeing the portable stove and the other food-making contraptions.

"Hey, that was all him and Grace's doing," I said, holding up my hands in defense. "I had zero control over this entire operation."

"Clearly," Lila muttered. "If I had known Noah was going to bring you the entirety of our dad's camping gear, then I would have bought cookable food. Guess that'll be tomorrow's grocery store trip."

"Honestly, Lila, you don't need to. The non-perishable food is more than enough," I said, placing my hand on her arm.

"If you're going to be camping out here for a while, then I'm going to make it as comfortable for you as I can," Lila argued. She gave me an intense look, one that meant there was no arguing with her.

"So, is all this permanent or what?" Tanner asked.

"It depends. Grace and company are currently working on a way to get you out of this," Lila replied.

"I'm sure that's going well," Jordan said sarcastically.

"There's been a couple rough starts," Lila said. "They did well in hiding you here. I guess that little German pipsqueak was good for something. But they're really lacking someone who knows what's up and can get right to the bottom of this."

"And that's where you come in?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at Lila.

"Exactly." Lila gave me a full-out grin. "Like I said, Grace and I talked. Everyone, from law enforcement to Secret Service, is already moving on, focusing their search on you, not who really killed Spence."

"Wait, you don't think I killed Spence?" It was hard to keep the surprise out of my voice.

"Of course not." Lila looked me right in the eye. "I know you, Alexei. You might be a heartbreaker but you're not a murderer." I didn't miss the look Tanner and Jordan gave each other.

"Yet, the police and everyone else beg to differ," Lila continued. "They're not going to be any help in finding Spence's real killer. The only way we can really get any leads is to go back to the island."

"Say what?" Tanner asked in shock, looking up from his phone.

"Has all that glitter hair spray clogged your ears?" Lila deadpanned. I couldn't stop myself from laughing and neither could Jordan. Tanner just gave us a dirty look. "I repeat, we are going back to the island. It's the only way we can find something that might help Alexei."

"As much as I'd love to help you out, bro, I am _not_ going back to that creepy island," Tanner replied.

"I'm with Tanner," Jordan seconded. "Besides, I got work soon."

"Making excuses, huh," I muttered. "What happened to bros for life?"

"Pretty sure bro code doesn't extend to creepy, deserted islands," Jordan said, with a shrug. I begged to differ but I was too tired to argue.

"Besides, even if they're not coming, I'll be there for you," Lila said reassuringly. "I know every inch of that island. I'm going back there and nothing's going to stop me, not even a police threat. I'll do whatever it takes to help you out of this mess, Alexei." I smiled. That was the Lila I knew, headstrong in her beliefs and not willing to take anyone's crap.

"Thank you, Lila," I said earnestly. Even if Tanner and Jordan were seriously flaking, making me question the strength of our bro code, I was glad I had another ally in Lila.

"Of course." She gave me a small smile before turning to Jordan. "Jordan, you still have that boat, right?"

"Um, I guess so? It's parked at the harbour right now. My co-worker said I could use it whenever," Jordan said, trying his hardest not to look weirded out.

"Good. We're going to need it," Lila said, a look of determination on her face.

* * *

"Damn, bro, you sure this is a good idea?" Tanner asked skeptically, as Jordan took us over to the boat.

"I texted my co-worker and he said it'd be fine," Jordan replied, although he looked just as skeptical as Tanner.

"Relax, your precious boat will be _fine_," Lila said. "We're just going to the island and back, not on some crazy expedition throughout the Mediterranean."

"You might as well be, considering all the creepy shit on that island," Tanner muttered. Lila gave him a death glare as the four of us stepped onto the boat.

"Alexei, you might want to lay low, just in case," Lila said, looking at me. "I don't want to risk anyone seeing you here." I nodded in agreement, heading down to the boat's small cabin. Although we didn't pass anyone on the way here, thanks to Lila forcing Jordan to drive a long, circuitous route to the harbour, it would be easy for someone to spot me on the open waters. Tanner followed me down, leaving Jordan to show Lila the controls.

"Bro, you really think it's a good idea to go back to the place where it all began?" Tanner asked, as we sat down on a bench inside the cabin.

"It's not like I have anything better to do," I replied, with a shrug.

"You could really clean yourself up, for one." Tanner glanced up at my hair.

"That bad?" Tanner held his phone out to me, open to the front camera. I groaned at the screen. I looked pretty awful, to say the least. My eyes were slightly bloodshot and surrounded by dark circles. There was dark stubble all along my jawline. My hair was sticking up in a million different directions. I ran my hand over my hair, trying my best to smooth it down, but it just shot back up. I frowned in annoyance at the screen as Tanner laughed.

"Yeah, you've definitely seen better days," Tanner said. "Though you don't look too bad for an international fugitive camping out in the middle of nowhere."

"Thanks for the compliment," I deadpanned. Only one night of living it rough and I was already looking like a mess. I couldn't imagine how much worse my appearance would get if I kept up this lifestyle. I would have given anything for an hour in a bathroom to freshen up and feel more human.

"We got you, bro, okay? Me and Jordan. We'll get you through this." Tanner looked at me with fierce determination. I nodded, although I wasn't quite feeling it. For one, they weren't coming to the island to help find anything that could clear my name. And they hadn't done anything to help me adjust to my new fugitive status. It was Grace, Megan, Noah, and Rosie, and now Lila, who had really pulled through for me, by finding me somewhere to stay, getting me supplies so I could get settled, and essentially risking their lives for me. I honestly couldn't thank them enough for everything they had done. Sure, I understood if Tanner and Jordan didn't really want to help me. After all, it was a crime to aid a fugitive and they could very well get arrested if they were caught helping me. However, part of me had been hoping they would come to my aid since we had been close friends for so long. I wondered if bro code also extended to bros who were currently wanted fugitives. A part of me told me it didn't.

The door to the cabin swung open. Jordan stood in the doorway, Lila behind him.

"I think we're good to go," Jordan said. "Tanner, you ready?" Tanner nodded before glancing back at me.

"I'd give you a hug but you're looking less than ideal, no offense," Tanner said, giving me a dubious once-over.

"No worries, bro, I get that I look like shit," I replied.

"Anyways, we'll catch you later," Tanner said, settling for a fist-bump instead. He and Jordan walked off the boat, heading back onto the dock.

"Well, I guess that leaves us two," Lila said, looking up at me. As usual, she looked put-together, her makeup perfectly done, not a hair out of place. It was a far cry from my dishevelled appearance, making me wish for a hot shower and some clean, stylish clothes.

"We'll get through this, okay?" Lila said. She grabbed my hand and squeezed it reassuringly. It was comforting to know that she was on my side. "Even if Tanner and Jordan keep bailing, I'll be there for you. I won't let you go through this alone, you hear me?"

"Of course. You don't have to do this," I replied.

"Alexei, you're a good person, you know that, right?" Lila asked. I nodded, not sure what she was getting at. "Deep down, in the bottom of my heart, I know you would never kill anyone. It's my job to make the rest of the world see you as the person that I know you are."

"Thank you so much, Lila." I felt so lucky to have her by my side. I hadn't expected her to come to my aid but I was so grateful that she had.

"It's what I'm here for," Lila replied, a wry smirk on her face. "Now come on, we've got an island to explore."

* * *

**Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Next chapter will be up between April 26 and May 6. ****My school decided to have our exams online so I have two exams coming up over the next couple weeks that I'll need to study for. **

**I'm not sure how realistic this chapter was or how well it'd fit with the original books but it was fun to write! What do you think happens in the next chapter?**


	20. Chapter 20 - Back to the Island

**Hey guys, I hope you're doing well! This is the first of many Gralexei chapters so enjoy!**

* * *

**Gonna reply to reviews on the previous chapter, thanks so much to everyone who reviewed!**

**A New Look: I'm glad you enjoyed this chapter! I agree, I really like Lila and Alexei's evolving friendship throughout the course of the series!**

**Guest: Lol sounds about right :P I actually got inspiration to add in the toilet paper part around when worldwide COVID-19 quarantines had started and the world was in a state of fear. **

**Allison Claire: I'm glad you've been enjoying this story! Lila is definitely a complex character and her feelings towards Alexei are constantly changing. I'll admit, Tanner and Jordan are lacking a bit in On the Run (since Alexei spends so much time with Grace and her friends and it would be hard to write Tanner and Jordan into all that), but they'll make up for it later on ;) Thank you, my exams went well and I've been staying safe and healthy. I hope you're also safe and healthy!**

* * *

**Disclaimer****: I do not own the Embassy Row series and all the characters (except for Tanner and Jordan and Alexei's Moscow friends (Roman, Eugene, Josef, and Yulia), who are my own creations). They belong to Ally Carter. I am merely using her characters and plotline to create this fanfiction. I have no intention of profiting off the Embassy Row series in any way. This fanfiction is purely for entertainment purposes and would not exist without Ally Carter's wonderful works. **

**The events that happen in this fanfiction are not meant to be representative of real life. Any similarities to any real-life events or fictional works is purely coincidental and not intentional (with the exception of the original Embassy Row books by Ally Carter since this fanfiction is literally See How They Run but from Alexei's, not Grace's, perspective). The character's actions may not always reflect my own opinions or views. **

**Trigger warning: mild  
****This fanfiction is rated T, for suggestive themes, language, and violence. This chapter contains mild language. Read at your own discretion.**

* * *

Chapter Twenty: Back to the Island

I stared out the tiny windows at the top of the cabin's walls, looking out at the sea. It calmed me, but only slightly. The thought of having to go back to the island terrified me. After all, we were going back to the place where it all began, where I had let my pride get the best of me, and where I had effectively turned my life to shit.

Lila briefly filled me in on the plans before taking off. Her and Grace had talked and somehow decided it would be a great idea to go back to the island, to find any evidence, no matter how small, that would show I didn't kill Spence. I didn't know what they could possibly find, since according to Megan and Grace, the police had already searched the whole island. In my mind, the police should have done a thorough search. There couldn't possibly be anything left to find, unless there was something critical the police had missed, something that one of us would easily pick up on. I tried not to shudder at that thought.

I looked out the window again, trying to get a better sense of where we were going. This did not look like any of Valancia's famous beaches. Lila had mentioned we'd be taking a more scenic route but I hadn't realized it'd be so devoid of people. I couldn't recall having been to this part of Valancia before. It looked like her and Grace really were intent on keeping this mission a secret. I couldn't blame them for it, since going back to the island was very risky. However, both Lila and Grace had the same stubborn mindset. Once they were set on doing something, there was no way they'd be backing out.

Before long, we approached a deserted stretch of beach. I could see why Lila and Grace had chosen to meet up here. The beach looked desolate, like no one had been here in ages. However, there were currently four figures standing by the dock. As Lila maneuvered the boat closer, I was able to make out Grace, Megan, Noah, and Rosie, clearly in the midst of a heated conversation. Noah turned to look in the direction of the boat. He started shaking his head and backed away, like he didn't want anything to do with the boat that was currently approaching him.

I ducked down, to avoid being seen. Even though it seemed like the four of them were alone, there was always the chance that someone could have tailed them out here. The last thing I needed was to be spotted and for my friends to be arrested, for aiding a fugitive. I would not risk putting my friends into danger like that, not after everything they had already done for me.

The boat gradually slowed down. Risking another quick peek, I saw that we had pulled up to the pier, where everyone was standing, in varying states of confusion. Noah, in particular, looked quite baffled.

Lila stepped onto the pier. She and Noah started talking. Although I couldn't quite make out what they were saying, the muffled shouts I could hear indicated their conversation had quickly turned into a full-blown multi-language sibling brawl. I inched closer to the cabin door, wondering if I should intervene. As much as I didn't want to risk being seen, I felt like I needed to do something to stop Lila and Noah from fighting. After all, everyone was here because of me. The last thing I needed was for them to be arguing over me. I did not want to be the source of their anger, tearing everyone apart instead of bringing them together. After all, they were risking their lives to help me, a wanted fugitive. Sibling tension was just going to make that worse.

I heard an ear-piercing noise ricocheting throughout the air. I only knew one person capable of doing that. I needed to intervene now, before things got worse and Rosie started making more absurd noises. I knew that I was endangering myself by making my presence known. Both Lila and Grace would chastise me for not staying hidden. But I didn't care. This looked like an issue that wasn't going to resolve itself, not without my divine intervention. I took a deep breath, opening the cabin door.

"I'm not here for you. I'm here for _him_." Lila's eyes met mine, giving me an encouraging look. I slowly stepped onto the boat's deck. I hadn't realized just how bright out it was. The sun seemed new and foreign to me, after being trapped in the darkness of the cave. I squinted against its glare as I took in the abandoned strip of beach and my friends.

As my eyes swept over Grace, she let out a sigh of relief. "You made it." I hadn't realized how glad I was to see her, well and alive, until she said that.

"I told you no one would follow me. We didn't see a soul," Lila said.

"Oh. Okay. This makes sense," Noah said, with a smirk. "My murder wouldn't get her out of bed before ten." Lila replied in Hebrew. Before I knew it, the two of them had restarted their multi-language sibling brawl. I was about to interfere when Grace stepped in.

"Enough! Noah, leave your sister alone," Grace said, with surprising authority. "And, Lila, if you don't want to go to the island, feel free to use your time otherwise. I'm sure there is something your little party-going minions didn't tell the authorities, for example. If you don't want to go with us, then go question them. But I'm not going to listen to the two of you argue all day. Do you understand?" Both Noah and Lila stayed quiet. Hell, I would have too if I had been on the receiving end of Grace's rather scary Ms. Chancellor-like rant.

"_Do you?_" Grace asked again, sounding even more intimidating.

"Yes," Noah and Lila answered, in unison.

"Okay," Grace said, turning for the pier. "Let's go."

* * *

I couldn't believe how different the island looked in broad daylight. At night, the shadows casted a dark, mysterious aura about the island, creating an alluring pull, perfect for a bunch of teenagers looking for a late-night adventure. Now, under the bright sunlight, the island looked barren and startlingly empty. The beach was deserted, the sand covered in long scrapes where the bonfire logs had been arranged. The grass and bushes at the back of the beach were trampled. I wondered if I had rolled over any of that grass, during that infamous fight with Spence. I shuddered at the memory of that night. If only I hadn't been so stupid.

All in all, the beach was too quiet, to the point of being eerie. I instinctively turned around, making sure I wasn't being tailed. I felt like something, or someone, was watching us and almost expected them to jump out at us from the trees. It was an extremely unsettling feeling that I couldn't shake, no matter how hard I tried. I couldn't help but wonder if Spence's ghost was watching me. After all, we were here to find any evidence that would point to his real killer. Maybe he had his eye on me, to make sure he got the vengeance he deserved.

"What now?" Rosie asked.

"Spread out, I guess," Grace said, taking charge. "We need to find out where he was killed, if we can. Just … look. For something. Anything that doesn't belong. Anything that might prove … something. Anything that could indicate that there was someone out here that night besides Spence and Alexei."

"And you," Noah said.

"And me," Grace echoed, like she was reluctant to admit it. "Meet back here in two hours?" I nodded in agreement with everyone else. Two hours seemed like more than enough time to me. Hopefully, a quick sweep of the island would be all that was needed to ensure there wasn't any undiscovered evidence. Given that there were six of us here, searching the island likely wasn't going to take too long.

We started spreading out down the rocky beach. Lila and Megan started off towards the forest. I followed Rosie around to the other side of the island, as Noah and Grace headed further down the beach.

"How did you like my little place?" Rosie asked, as we climbed further up the island.

"It was a little rough but it wasn't a big deal. It's absolutely perfect," I said, looking down at her. She beamed at me.

"Do you think we'll find anything exciting? Like buried treasure? Or dead bodies? Maybe there's a chest full of explosives!" Rosie exclaimed. I chuckled at her endearing, innocent, child-like excitement. Unfortunately, that part of me had been ripped away long ago, replaced by an ice-cold, steel heart.

"Uh … guys? I think you need to see this!" Noah's voice sounded throughout the island, getting our attention. Rosie and I looked at each other, wondering what Noah possibly could have found. We headed towards the ridge that overlooked the beach, where everyone was gathered. I peered down, seeing some kind of oddly carved rock. Yet, after staring at it for a few more seconds, an image slowly materialized from the lines carved into the rock.

"Face!" Rosie exclaimed, saying what was on my mind. "That big rock is a face!"

"I think it's some kind of statue," Noah said. "What do you think it is?"

"A statue used to guard the bay before the Crusaders came," Lila said. "I never thought I'd see it. I thought it was all gone. But it's … here." She gestured towards broken stone fragments that were scattered along the beach. I thought back to the class I had taken in Adrian history, wondering if such a statue was ever mentioned. Or maybe it was in one of the many stories my mother had told me.

"Is that a foot?" Noah asked, pointing to a huge stone with small bumps on the end. I took a second look at the scattered rocks. I had thought they were just random shapes but upon closer inspection, I could see how the different pieces would fit together, creating a mighty stone figure.

"Why would someone tear it down?" Rosie asked.

"False idols and all that, I guess," Lila replied, with a shrug. "But if you ask me, they didn't want someone else sneaking up and stealing Adria from them after they went to so much trouble to steal it from the Turks or the Mongols or whoever it was they stole it from in the first place." Her and Grace shared a look. I wondered if that was one of the many stories they had learned during their initiation into the Society.

"No wonder people say this place is haunted," Rosie said. However, that didn't seem to bother her as she nonchalantly turned, heading further down onto the beach to look for evidence. Knowing her, the fact that the island could be haunted only excited her more. Noah followed her down. Megan and Lila headed off towards the rocky cliffs at the far side of the island.

"I guess that leaves us," I said to Grace. Side by side, we headed towards the trees.

* * *

As I walked through the trees with Grace, I got a very overwhelming sense of déjà vu. I was instantly transported back to the night of the party, when I had walked through these very same trees with Spence, desperate to find a way off the island. However, no one could know about the trek through the trees, that desperate fight in the ruins, that arduous journey through the underground tunnel and the Society's headquarters. If anyone knew, there would be no getting out of this criminal life. I would very well be indicted with Spence's murder and would never see the light of day again.

So if I wanted any chance at getting my old life back, then it looked like I was going to have to lie about what happened that night. Because no one could know, especially not Grace. If she found out, then all the trust that we had worked to build would instantly be destroyed and she wouldn't be able to look at me the same way. I wasn't prepared for that just yet, of her knowing that I was keeping so many secrets from her, secrets that would change the world if brought to light.

Surely, it couldn't be that difficult to lie about it. I could be a pretty good liar if needed and had a damn good poker face, according to Tanner and Jordan. Besides, only Spence and I had been there that night. And it was a well-known fact that two people could keep a secret if one of them was dead. The longer I could keep up this charade, the better.

I followed Grace as we wove our way through the trees. She seemed to know where she was going so I didn't dare question her. Yet, subconsciously, I must have known too, as I could almost anticipate where we were headed. Sure enough, when we reached the clearing, I stared up at the tall stone structure in front of us.

"Wow," I said. "It's … bigger than I thought." Only now, with the light of day, could I appreciate the enormity of the ruins. I took in its wide expanse of staggered stones rising majestically out of the ground, a sharp contrast to the lush greenery around it. One side of it was completely covered in thick bushes, like they were keeping it a secret from the rest of the world. If it wasn't for Spence, then I never would have discovered this place.

I followed Grace as she crept closer to the tall stone structure. She kept her distance, like she was trying to be careful, very much unlike her usual rash, spontaneous personality. She stopped, examining something engraved in the stone. I nearly crashed into her, not paying attention myself.

"What is that?" I asked. I was mildly aware of her closeness as I leaned in to take a look at what had captured her attention. My stomach sunk as I saw what it was. The emblem of the Society.

"I don't know," Grace said, far too quickly. However, I knew her too well and knew it was a lie. She and I both knew what it was but neither of us wanted to admit it. All of a sudden, a startling realization came to me. Spence and I had walked through the Society's vault, on our way back from the island. Thanks to the dark shadows of the trees, Spence and I hadn't seen the Society emblem on the ruins, not realizing just what we were walking into. Yet, here it was, clearly visible in the light of day. If the Society had something to do with the ruins, then they had far more power than I ever could have imagined. And that potentially meant Grace and I could be in danger right now, being here at the ruins, and that my adventure with Spence had been, quite literally, a fatal mistake.

"Grace," I said, a slight warning tone to my voice, hoping to deter her from the ruins.

She suddenly turned, looking up at me. "I didn't mean it."

"What?" That completely caught me off guard. What on Earth was she talking about?

"The kiss. Kissing Spence. He was here and he seemed like he liked me and I thought maybe he did like me. He was just … new. He didn't know me. So I thought that maybe …"

"You thought that no one who _does_ know you could possibly like you." If only she knew just how much I cared about her. Maybe then she would see that people really did like her for who she was, her faults included. To me, her negative qualities and sordid past didn't serve as deterrents. Rather, they had the opposite effect, making her a complex, beautiful person.

"What I'm saying, Alexei, is I'm sorry I dragged you into this. I'm sorry."

"This isn't your fault." She didn't have anything to be sorry for. So why did she keep blaming herself?

"If I hadn't kissed Spence – or let Spence kiss me – then you wouldn't have fought with him and there wouldn't be any stupid videos online and you wouldn't have to live in a cave for the rest of your life." Oh, so it turned out that kiss was at least somewhat consensual, contrary to what I had initially thought. That still wasn't going to change the fact that Spence had hurt Grace by kissing her. Either way, the kiss itself was an entirely different matter to my reaction to said kiss. I had always prided myself on being a respectful, level-headed gentleman but I had epically failed that night, blowing things way out of proportion. None of this was her fault; how could she be so foolish to think so? She hadn't done anything wrong. As much as I hated to admit it, she had every right to kiss Spence if she wanted to. If I hadn't let my damn hormones and animalistic side get the better of me, then none of us would be here, on the island, right now. How absurd was it that the peacekeeper was the one who had finally broken the peace? Maybe it was the lack of sleep or the cynicism I had recently developed but I couldn't stop myself from laughing, at how ridiculous this whole situation was and how it had exploded to astronomical levels.

"Oh, Gracie." I leaned in closer, cupping her face in my hands so I could look straight into her eyes, eyes that were cast with worry and doubt. I had to reassure her that everything would be okay and that none of this was her fault. Surely, this wasn't going to last forever, like she seemed to think. "I am fairly certain the cave is temporary."

"You know what I mean!" Grace hit me in the chest, making me laugh harder. She had no idea how endearing she was right now.

I glanced at the looming stone structure in front of us, wondering if I wanted to push my luck a second time. "Now. Are we going in there or aren't we?"

With that, we set off to find the entrance. I had no idea how Spence and I had managed to find it in the dark of night. Even now, with the light of day, we were still struggling. I didn't remember where the entrance was, the light throwing me off. Besides, I didn't want Grace to pick up on the fact that I had been here before.

At last long, we found the entrance, covered by brush and vines. It vaguely rang a bell as I stared at crushed vines. I could have sworn there were footprints entrenched in the surrounding dirt. I sucked in a breath.

"Spence?" I asked, hoping my attempt at throwing Grace off wasn't too obvious. It only looked like one set of footprints but I couldn't tell if those were mine or Spence's. Luckily, I was wearing a different pair of shoes the night of the party. Hopefully, that would lessen the risk of Grace thinking those could have been mine and that I had indeed been here before.

"Maybe," Grace said. "I doubt the police would have looked here very hard. Spence was a pretty big guy. If he'd been killed here, it would have been hard for him to end up in the water." She had a good point. However, I knew something very critical that everyone else didn't. Spence and I had successfully made it back to mainland Valancia. What happened to him after that had nothing to do with me. Regardless of how or where he had been killed, I had no idea how he could have ended up on the beach. Something just didn't seem right about that.

Grace squeezed through the vines, stepping into the narrow opening. Taking it as a sign that the conversation was over, I followed her through. As I stepped inside, my eyes slowly adjusting to the dark, I was overwhelmed with a massive sense of déjà vu. The air was cool, just as I remembered. It would have been refreshing if it didn't send shivers down my spine, reminding me of everything that had transpired between me and Spence after the party.

Grace pulled a flashlight out of her pocket, flicking it on. She swept the beam across the ancient walls, illuminating the moss in the mortar cracks. As the beam swept across the cold stone floor, I spotted footprints. Once again, I hoped they weren't mine.

I looked over at Grace, wondering if she had seen them too. The moment her gaze met mine, I knew that she had and thought they could only belong to one person. Spence.

Without saying another word, we surged onwards. Although this was just another adventure to her, I could only pray that I wasn't walking to my death, as we followed the footsteps into the dark shadows ahead of us.

* * *

**Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Next chapter will be up between May 24 and May 31. **

**How's everyone been doing in quarantine? I've been busy with school and work training (to do everything online) over the past few weeks. I have one last exam before I'm more or less done with school for the year (aside from clinical skills, which is being pushed to August) so I'm going to focus on that first before fanfiction. What do you think will happen in the next chapter? Do you think Grace will catch onto Alexei's lies? **


	21. Chapter 21 - Into the Dark Abyss

**Hey guys, I hope you've been doing well! I've finished up my last exam of the year which means I'm done with school and on summer break! Read on for more Gralexei!**

* * *

**Gonna reply to reviews on the previous chapter, thanks so much to everyone who reviewed!**

**Yaschia: Thank you for your kind words; I'm glad you've been enjoying my fanfiction! I definitely plan on continuing with Take the Key and Lock Her Up in Alexei's POV; I'm about halfway through writing it although I don't think I'll start posting it until March 2021. Yeah I agree, there's a lot that Alexei has to lie about and hide so it's been fun exploring that side of things. **

**A New Look: Thank you! Unfortunately, there's going to be more lies for a while until they finally come clean :P **

**Guest: Thank you for your kind words; I'm glad you've been enjoying my fanfiction! I haven't really thought about writing Alexei and Grace's life after the series ends but that's always something to consider!**

* * *

**Disclaimer****: I do not own the Embassy Row series and all the characters (except for Tanner and Jordan and Alexei's Moscow friends, who are my own creations). They belong to Ally Carter. I am merely using her characters and plotline to create this fanfiction. I have no intention of profiting off the Embassy Row series in any way. This fanfiction is purely for entertainment purposes and would not exist without Ally Carter's wonderful works. **

**The events that happen in this fanfiction are not meant to be representative of real life. Any similarities to any real-life events or fictional works is purely coincidental and not intentional (with the exception of the original Embassy Row books by Ally Carter since this fanfiction is literally See How They Run but from Alexei's, not Grace's, perspective). The character's actions may not always reflect my own opinions or views. Based on what happens in this chapter (spoiler alert), I do not condone lying. **

**Trigger warning: mild to moderate  
****This fanfiction is rated T, for suggestive themes, language, and violence. This chapter contains mild to moderate language, mental health issues, mentions of death, and near-death experiences. Read at your own discretion.**

* * *

Chapter Twenty-One: Into the Dark Abyss

I followed Grace as we moved through the utter darkness of the cold stone corridor, save for tiny slivers of outside light filtering in from cracks in the corridor walls. Thanks to the light, I noticed moss and vines, some tiny signs of life, creeping in through the cracks. Aside from that, Grace and I were the only other living, breathing beings here. We walked on through a stony, cold silence, neither of us daring to break it.

Suddenly, the air had a different feel to it. I looked up, seeing that we were in a chamber. Memories of the night of the party came flooding back to me as Grace swept the beam of her flashlight across the walls. "What is this place, Alexei?"

"_The place where shit went down,_" I muttered in Russian, low and under my breath. After all, Grace very well couldn't know what had transpired between Spence and I here. No one could. It looked like I would have no choice but to keep lying. I wondered if I would eventually reach a point where my web of lies caught up to me. I hoped it wouldn't ever come to that.

"I have no idea," I muttered, mostly for Grace's benefit. She seemed to believe me as we carefully walked on. The beam of the flashlight shone across a giant urn, the same ones that had caught Spence's attention. It instantly caught Grace's eye as she inched forward, rubbing the inside with her finger. I stood back, waiting for Grace to finish examining them so we could move on. Suddenly, the light caught the urn in a particular way, reflecting its peculiar detailing and the dark soot inside. With a start, I realized I had seen something similar before. I was instantly transported back to a time, years earlier, of my mother showing me various treasures from the Society, one of which was an urn similar to the one in front of us.

"This is where they used to light their fires," I explained, looking at Grace. I remembered my mother excitedly talking about each treasure and how I, as an innocent child, had taken it all in with awe.

We walked on, down a wide staircase onto the sunken floor. I followed the beam of her flashlight as it shone on more urns, stone pedestals, and ancient mosaics covering the ceiling above us. Under the darkness of the night, I had barely noticed the mosaics and dismissed them. Looking up at them now and marvelling at how they reflected in the light, I realized they were inlaid with gold, making them far more intricate than I initially realized.

"Have you ever seen anything like it?" I asked. Grace stayed silent. I looked at her, wondering if there was something she didn't want me to know. Had she been here before? Or seen something similar to the mosaics in the ceiling? Either way, that made two of us who were lying and keeping secrets.

As our hands brushed, something just outside the beam's path caught my eye.

"Grace!" I pointed in the dim light. She flashed her beam across the dusty floor, illuminating the cracks in the stone walls. "Grace, are those …" She followed my gaze, as the light caught the telltale signs of human life.

"Footprints. Spence?"

"Who else?" I said nonchalantly, with a shrug. Again, I had no idea if those could be my footprints. However, it looked like Grace didn't yet suspect I had been here with Spence. Besides, I was more than happy to keep that information to myself.

We walked on, following the footprints imprinted in the dirt floor. Those footprints carried so much meaning, detailing the last steps and adventures of a dead man. For all I knew, following them could have meant I was walking to my death. I could have sworn I felt Spence's spirit around me. A bird squawked above us. I recoiled back in shock, finding it eerie how that bird had appeared right as I was thinking about Spence. Was it a sign of Spence's spirit lingering close by, watching as Grace and I retraced his last hours? Beside me, Grace jumped. It looked like I wasn't the only one who was a little freaked out.

"Don't leave me in here, okay?" I asked, half-joking, as I took Grace's hand. We would get through this creepy place together. "This place is freaking me out."

"Don't worry, tough guy, I'll protect you." Like Grace was capable of protecting me. Despite that, it was a nice thought.

We crossed the room, following the tracks of a dead man until they disappeared. Grace turned, sweeping the beam of her flashlight across the floor and onto a wall up ahead. I suddenly remembered what was buried behind that wall and what had transpired there the night of the party.

"Okay," I said, lying through my teeth. "I suppose this is a dead end. I'm sorry, Gracie." I turned away from the wall, not keen on a repeat of my adventures with Spence. Hopefully, I could detract Grace from all the horrors and treasure behind that wall. However, she kept looking at it, like it was a mystery to solve.

"Gracie," I said, placing my hand on her arm. "We should go find the others. Perhaps they have had better luck." I knew that the further I wandered into the ruins, the harder it would be to hide the fact that I had been here before. The last thing I needed was for Grace to discover that.

"No, not yet." Grace shook her head, like she was determined to figure out what was behind that wall. I sighed, realizing I really should have known better. Once she had her mind set on something, there was no going back.

She slowly swept her flashlight along the bricks in a grid-like pattern, like she was looking for something. She suddenly stopped when she reached the right-hand corner, stepping forward to touch the stones, pressing and pulling them every which way.

"Gracie, please. It doesn't look stable. We should go." It was a weak last-ditch attempt to get her to leave and we both knew it. My stomach churned at the thought of having to re-experience everything again.

"Just a second. I think maybe …" The stones started turning, like they were easing into position. This time around, I was better able to appreciate the movement of the bricks. It was almost like a real-life version of the brick wall leading to Diagon Alley. However, there was more than just magic that laid behind this brick wall.

The floor started shaking. Remembering what happened next, I watched as the wall slid aside, revealing an empty, echoing, dark cavern. Grace shone her light on the floor, revealing more footprints. She followed those footsteps to the other side of the wall, seemingly without second thought.

"_Here we go again_," I muttered in Russian, as I followed Grace. I clearly didn't have a say in this, not with the way Grace surged on so eagerly, shining her light further down the cavern. I could only hope that we wouldn't walk into more danger, or to our deaths.

"Gracie, we shouldn't be here," I said, feeling like I was going to regret this decision. Grace said nothing as she turned her light towards the ceiling. I was instantly captivated by what I saw, images depicting the history of Adria and this island. The first image depicted a king surrounded by six knights, each of them bowing before him and offering their swords. I hadn't been able to see much when I was here with Spence. Besides, he had wanted to get right to the good stuff, which ultimately got us in trouble and led to that near-death experience. Now, I was able to marvel at the images, taking in their stunning detail. There was one image that really caught my eye.

"Look at that one," I said. Grace guided her light over to a familiar image, a room full of gold and chests overflowing with rubies, emeralds, and pearls. In short, buried treasure, what Spence and so many others had desperately hoped to find.

In the echoing silence, I heard Grace's heart beating, too fast. I noticed her hand trembling, causing the beam of light to waver. The gems caught the flickering beam of light, creating sparkling reflections.

"They almost look real," I said.

"I think they _are_ real," Grace replied. A shiver went down my spine, as a harsh, unsettling truth dawned on me. The image on the ceiling depicted the room we had just left. That was what Spence and I had failed to realize that night. Those gems in the ceiling weren't just images; they were completely and utterly real. Maybe once, there used to be real treasure chests, overflowing with gems and gold, sitting on the pedestals in the very room we had just come from. Yet over the years, those had likely been looted, until all that remained were the gems inlaid in the ceiling, almost impossible to steal. Although the gems were appealing, I knew that taking them would result in a heavy price and that outsiders, like us, were never supposed to find them.

In short, we were not supposed to be here. Spence and I were the last ones here. Spence had been actively looking for treasure. I had just been along for the ride with no real interest in the treasure, forced to stick by him as we looked for a way off the island. Of the two of us, only one was still alive. Maybe I had been lucky the first time and survived, but just barely. However, I wasn't going to push it. Getting out alive a second time would practically be a miracle. And I knew that if I wanted to get out of here alive, then we needed to start moving.

"Gracie, I think we'd better get out of –" However, I was cut off by a faint scraping noise, like something heavy was moving across the ancient dirt floor. I was hoping I wouldn't have to hear that dreadful sound ever again but I was dead wrong. I sprinted towards the entrance, hoping I'd be able to find some sort of mechanism to keep the wall from locking us in. Unfortunately, we had wandered too far into the cavern. I pushed myself to run faster but it was a lost cause. A second later, the wall closed, locking into place with an audible click. Once again, I was trapped in this cavern of nightmares.

"No!" Grace yelled, running right up to the wall. She frantically ran her hands over the stones, as if she was trying to find a way to open it again. Although I had secretly hoped there was a way to trigger the wall from this side, I knew that likely wasn't the case.

I heard something crash onto the floor. I didn't think much of it until I heard distinct clicking noises, like something was rolling and gradually picking up speed. I turned to find Grace chasing after a steadily moving beam of light and realized she must have dropped her flashlight. However, the beam of light kept moving faster and faster away from her. It was then that I realized where we were. The cliff where I had just barely held on, where Spence had threatened to push me off. The cliff where I almost could have died.

And now Grace was the one nearly falling to her death. She had grabbed the end of the flashlight but was now sliding her way off the cliff. Without thinking, I rushed towards her, diving forward to put my arms around her. The dirt floor scraped my legs but that didn't matter, only saving Grace did. Once my arms were safely around her, I dug my weight into the dirt floor. I pulled us backwards, away from the cliff.

"I got you," I breathed, my lips close to her temple. "You're safe. You're well." Although I had hoped for my words to soothe her, her breathing picked up, her chest heaving against my arms. I felt her heart beating, too loud and too fast.

"Grace?" I asked, concerned. However, she seemed like she barely heard me, her eyes staring blankly into space. Was she having another mental breakdown, just like she had in the streets after the credentials ball?

"Gracie!" Her lack of response worried me, especially since I felt powerless to help her. Suddenly, she started rocking in my arms. Was this how she calmed herself down? I loosened my hold on her but didn't let go of her completely. As she kept rocking herself, her breathing started slowing.

"That's good. Just like that," I murmured in Russian, as I stroked her hair. She kept rocking, like she was in her own little world. Nonetheless, I kept stroking her hair and murmuring sweet things to her in Russian. I snuck a glance at her, knowing that the chances I would get another moment like this with her were slim, especially with my current situation. I took in as many details as I could, burning them to my memory. The way she fit into my arms. The sound of her deep, steady breaths in the echoey silence. Her haunting beauty, with her pale skin, long blonde hair, and soulful brown eyes.

"If we die," Grace suddenly said, breaking the silence, "it'll kill Jamie." That was very true. He had recently lost a friend. How awful would it be, to then lose a sibling and a friend at the same time? We were the people who were closest to him, the ones that he truly cared about. However, I wouldn't let that happen, no matter what.

"There's a way out, Gracie," I said, letting go of her. "There has to be. And we're going to find it." I took her flashlight, sweeping the beam of light across the vast blackness. I had made it out alive once and I was going to do it again, no matter the odds. I wasn't going to give this place another opportunity to hold me captive. All I had to do was find that sketchy staircase.

Unfortunately, I couldn't remember where it was. I stood up, dusting off the dirt. I turned back the way we came, shining the light over the walls, the ceiling, and the dusty, dirt floor. I cursed in Russian as I kept coming up emptyhanded. Was my mind purposely blocking my memory of that staircase because of how awful that night with Spence had been?

"Wait!" I froze, startled by Grace's sudden outburst. I turned to find her staring at something in the dirt.

"What is that?" I asked, squinting at the small, white object. I couldn't make out what it was from where I was standing.

"It's a phone," Grace said, crawling towards the wall to pick it up. As she retrieved the object, I realized that it was indeed a phone, a white iPhone that clearly didn't belong in this ancient cavern.

"Is it Spence's?" I walked over to her, to take a closer look.

"No." Grace turned the phone over, revealing a camouflage-printed case with the American army logo. "It's Jamie's. He told me he lost it the night of the party." Grace pressed the power button. The phone blinked to life, revealing Jamie's lock screen, a recent picture of him, Grace, and their father.

"Has Jamie been here?" I asked. I didn't see how else his phone could have ended up here.

"No. Spence was wearing Jamie's jacket. It must have fallen out of the pocket when he was down here. That's why Jamie couldn't find it even after … It wasn't on Spence's body." I thought back to my time here with Spence. We had fought on the ancient dirt floor, rolling all the way down to the cliff's edge. At one point, I had heard a muted thud, like something falling out of a pocket. Could that have been Jamie's phone falling out of the jacket pocket? I didn't know what else it could have been.

"If Spence was here," Grace said, looking up at me, "then he made it out." She had a determined look on her face, like she was going to find her way out of these ruins, even if she died trying.

She took back the flashlight and got down on her knees, inching towards the sharp edge of the cliff. I wanted to pull her back, before she could get too close again and fall off. However, she was clearly on a mission, crawling along the dusty dirt floor, shining her light across the vast cavern. I wasn't going to stop her. Besides, I very well couldn't tell her that there was a staircase we could use to get out of here. Otherwise, she would start to question what I had really been up to, after the party. I wasn't ready for her to know those secrets, not yet anyways.

However, it didn't look like I'd have to be spilling those secrets anytime soon. Because Grace's flashlight beam landed on a rickety, ancient staircase, the stairs just a few inches wide. It looked like it was Round Two of the sketchy staircase for me.

* * *

Grace and I slowly inched our way down the staircase, spiralling below the depths of the cliff's edge. As we descended, the air got fresher and clearer. It was also quite a bit cooler, just like I remembered. I heard a familiar low, rumbling hum.

"Do you hear that?" Grace asked. I glanced back towards her.

"Water?" I said, even though I already knew the answer. Grace nodded in agreement.

Eventually, we spotted the underground river running through the bottom of the massive cavern. The water was a dark, inky black, just as I recalled.

"If someone built the stairs, then they have to go somewhere. Right?" Grace asked, looking over at me.

"Of course." I gave her a charming smile. Of course these stairs went somewhere. After all, I had followed these stairs once and had gotten out safely. I was feeling pretty confident that we'd get out again.

The stairs finally ended, their twisting spirals leading us to a solid stone floor. I grabbed the flashlight with one hand and took Grace's hand with the other. I led her onto the narrow path along the edge of the river. I didn't want her to fall in, just like Spence and I almost had. I didn't want to lose her to another dark, black void, especially after she had almost fallen off the cliff edge.

We slowly edged alongside the rushing waves of the river, until we reached a looming entrance surrounded by an ominous mountain. Grace looked at me, although I wasn't sure if it was for guidance or reassurance. Whatever it was, I wasn't going to leave her on her own. I would stay by her side until we got through this hell. Besides, this was our only way out. We followed the river, passing into the tunnel, as we moved deeper into the mountain.

"So, how is Jamie?" I asked, as we carefully edged along the river's slick black banks.

"He's upset," Grace answered. For someone who had already undergone a year of military training, I figured he would have learned to keep his emotions in check. Yet, I supposed the death of a close friend would be enough to break anyone, no matter how strong their emotional resolve. "I think the hardest part is that he wants to blame himself."

"So he blames me instead," I stated. Grace's silence told me that I was right. I couldn't imagine what Jamie must have been going through, thinking about the things he could have done to prevent Spence's death. Admittedly, I did make for a rather convenient scapegoat, given the glaring video evidence against me and the way I had pushed Spence and egged him on. However, I thought years of friendship wouldn't cause us to turn on each other, even after an out-of-control party with a tragic end. Clearly, I had been proven very wrong.

"How are you?" I asked. I was met with stony silence. I internally facepalmed. So much for trying to make conversation. Of course Grace wasn't going to let me in. Not after everything that had happened since the party. I wouldn't be surprised if I had lost her trust or caused her to fortify her walls, building them higher around herself until no one could get in. I only hoped that one day, she would take down those walls again and let me in, so that I could be there for her.

We kept walking, winding our way through the cavern-like path. The jagged stalactites hanging from the ceiling only reinforced the notion that we were in a cave few people had traversed.

Eventually, the river ran off, leaving us alone in the complex network of caves. It was a shame I didn't remember which tunnels to take, to get us out of here. It would have saved us a lot of time and energy as we kept backtracking, thanks to all the caved-in dead ends.

We started down yet another tunnel. I felt the ground sloping under us as we walked. Then it sloped up again and I felt the tunnel shifting.

"I think we're climbing," Grace said. "This one's probably caved in, too."

"Maybe it is," I replied. However, this tunnel felt familiar, like I had been here before. Was this the tunnel that would lead us to our freedom? I remembered that spark of hope and that gut feeling I had felt, when Spence and I had finally found the tunnel that brought us back to Valancia. I couldn't help but feel that maybe, just maybe, we might have found that lucky tunnel again.

"I mean, it's probably nothing," Grace said. I gripped her hand harder, fearing that if I let go, I would be letting go of our luck and our only chance at getting back to Valancia. "We're probably wasting our time. I mean, it can't possibly be –"

The tunnel suddenly turned ahead of us, revealing a sight that made both Grace and I freeze. An actual door. To be more specific, a set of wide double doors made of a deep, dark wood. That spark of hope surged in me. Was this finally going to be our way out?

Grace gingerly reached out and touched them. That sight brought up another memory, of Spence reaching out to touch a very similar door, jerking them open without second thought. And in that instant, I knew I had been here before. This was our way out, back to civilization and out of this crazy hell.

"Do we dare?" Grace asked. However, my hand was already on the handle, ready to escape this nightmare. With a slow, precise carefulness, I turned the handle.

* * *

**Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Next chapter will be up between June 10 and June 17. So Alexei is lying though his teeth and Grace is none the wiser. Will they make it out of the ruins? Stay tuned!**

* * *

**On a more serious note, I'd like to touch on the state of current world affairs. In light of all the recent acts of race-based violence, I would encourage everyone to challenge your biases, educate yourself, speak up, and be an ally. Regardless of how you racially identify, please have discussions with your friends, family, and loved ones about race. Take some time to think about the ideas you were raised with (positive and negative) and identify any race-based biases you may have. Think of ways you can challenge and overcome those biases, whether it's by saying something positive every time a negative thought comes into your head, speaking up every time you see an act of racial injustice, or sending messages of support and allyship to your friends and family who identify with a racial minority. Please educate yourself in areas where you are uninformed and fill in gaps in your knowledge. **

**I've done a lot of reading myself over the past few days about race-based issues and reflected on my biases and how I can stand up for injustice, not just now but in the future. I'd encourage you all to do the same. Although talking about race is difficult, it is a necessary conversation to have. Now is not the time to stay silent and pretend racism doesn't exist anymore. Racism is very much alive and real. The only way we can overcome it is through collective individual action. Your voice matters. **


	22. Chapter 22 - Close Call

**Hey guys, I hope you've had a good start to your June! I've been busy with work for the past couple weeks and enjoying what may be my last 2-3 month long summer break for the rest of my life ;o; Read on for more Gralexei!**

* * *

**Gonna reply to reviews on the previous chapter, thanks so much to everyone who reviewed!**

**A New Look: Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed it! Now you know what Spence and Alexei were up to haha. **

**Guest: Thanks, great question! I've never really thought about it since I figured it wasn't totally realistic for Alexei to have met another girl while he was in Moscow (although it gave him something to do there). It would be interesting for Grace to find out about Yulia, even though it's not super canon.**

* * *

**Disclaimer****: I do not own the Embassy Row series and all the characters (except for Tanner and Jordan and Alexei's Moscow friends, who are my own creations). They belong to Ally Carter. I am merely using her characters and plotline to create this fanfiction. I have no intention of profiting off the Embassy Row series in any way. This fanfiction is purely for entertainment purposes and would not exist without Ally Carter's wonderful works. **

**The events that happen in this fanfiction are not meant to be representative of real life. Any similarities to any real-life events or fictional works is purely coincidental and not intentional (with the exception of the original Embassy Row books by Ally Carter since this fanfiction is literally See How They Run but from Alexei's, not Grace's, perspective). The character's actions may not always reflect my own opinions or views. Based on what happens in this chapter (spoiler alert), I do not condone lying and trespassing. **

**Trigger warning: mild  
****This fanfiction is rated T, for suggestive themes, language, and violence. This chapter contains mild to moderate language and mentions of mental health issues, death, and murder. Read at your own discretion.**

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Two: Close Call

I opened the door, revealing a corridor with low stone ceilings.

"Where are we?" I asked, even though I had my suspicions from the last, and only, time I had been here.

"I'm not sure," Grace said. However, the look on her face begged to differ. I instantly knew she was lying. I had to wonder what else she was possibly hiding from me and found it all too ironic how we were both keeping secrets from each other.

I held her hand tight as we wound our way through the corridor. I tried to savour the feeling of her hand in mine because I knew I wasn't likely to get another moment alone with her. We passed old oil paintings, like the ones in the palace, and tightly locked cabinets. Without any better indication of where to go, Grace and I followed the flickering gaslights lining the corridor, hoping they would light the way. Just like the tunnels, this place was an absolute maze. I didn't want to get lost here, not when death was a very real possibility.

"We have to find one of the tunnels," Grace whispered to me. "We have to get you out of here."

"Out of _where_?" I asked, spinning Grace to face me. Something about her tone of voice and the words she used further confirmed that she knew exactly where we were. And that, once again, it was somewhere that we weren't supposed to be.

"I think we're back on the mainland. I bet this leads to one of the tunnels. From here, we can get you to Iran then back up into the hills." Grace tried to pull away but I held on tight to her.

"What aren't you telling me?" She was rambling and acting suspicious, which meant that she knew way too much. I could only hope that she would let me in this time, instead of shutting me out like she had done so many times before.

"Alexei, I can't –" The sound of faint footsteps and voices caught my attention.

"Wait." I leaned close to Grace's ear. "Someone's coming." I looked around, noting how the corridor branched up ahead. One branch twisted into shadows. I hoped it would be enough for a temporary cover. I pulled Grace into that corridor, pressing her into the corner. I squeezed in beside her, the darkness barely hiding both of us. With one tiny movement, we would easily be exposed. I could only hope that no one would come down this way.

Thanks to the long stone halls, sounds easily echoed. It was how I had picked up on the faintest traces of the voices. And now, those voices were getting increasingly closer. I focused my attention on them, trying my best to follow the conversation.

"We need to talk about the girl."

"Which one?"

"Don't feign ignorance. You know which one. The girl is a problem."

"The girl is a child!" Although I didn't immediately recognize the voices, I now discerned that they belonged to two women. The second voice was slightly more familiar than the first one, yet, I couldn't place it. As the women came into view around the corner, Grace and I squeezed farther into the shadows. When she leaned against me, I instinctively put my arms around her, pulling her close to me.

"That doesn't excuse her behaviour," the first voice argued. "She knew exactly what she was doing. Sixteen is more than old enough for her to consciously be aware of the consequences of her actions."

"You know as well as I do that she's impulsive. It's unlikely she would have thought about the consequences before acting." There were only a few impulsive sixteen-year-old girls that I knew. One of them was currently nestled in my arms.

"That doesn't change anything. She's still going to keep looking until she discovers the truth. At this rate, nothing's going to stop her."

"She was interested, but I talked to her, and I believe she will move on now. We have no reason to believe that she'll cause a problem."

"No. The American boy was _interested_. Caroline was _obsessed_. And her daughter will become obsessed, too. She won't stop her digging, you know." Wait, wasn't Grace's mother named Caroline? With that realization, I got the sinking feeling that the two women were, unsurprisingly, talking about Grace. I internally facepalmed, wondering just how much shit she had done in order to be the topic of literally every clandestine conversation, at least the ones I had overheard.

"Let her dig." The second voice sounded quite impatient. "What harm will it do?"

"I don't know, Eleanor. What harm did it do Caroline?" In any other context, that statement could have been funny, like a sarcastic meme caption. However, this was Adria, where the stakes were always high. And now, they were higher than ever. That statement was a threat, made obvious by the woman's tone. Harm had been done to Grace's mother and if Grace wasn't careful, then she would face the same fate.

My arms tightened around Grace, pulling her closer still. I would do my best to protect her from anything or anyone that would dare to harm her. They would have to go through me first before they even thought about touching her.

Grace started shaking. I placed my hands on her arms, trying to calm her down. Was she about to have another mental breakdown? I started whispering sweet things to her in Russian, hoping to keep her from losing her mind. Gradually, the sound of clicking high heels faded away, indicating the two women were retreating.

"What is this place?" I whispered, my lips close to her ear. "Grace, what is all this?"

"Honestly? I have no idea." I couldn't tell if she was lying but decided not to question it.

"Come on," I said, taking her hand and leading her in the direction the women had disappeared. The sooner we could get out of here, the better. The last thing we needed was to be caught somewhere we weren't supposed to be.

We trailed behind the women, keeping our footsteps silent. We stayed far back enough so that we wouldn't be heard, but still close enough so that we could hear the clicking of high heels, our guide to getting out of here and back to safe ground.

Eventually, the clicking high heels stopped. I watched a woman walk through a large door, into one of the tunnels. She briefly turned in our direction, the gaslights illuminating her face. Prime Minister Petrovic, the acting head of Adria. I had seen her on TV and in online news articles. There, she just seemed like a distant authority figure. But here she was, very much alive and real. I had no idea she was involved with the Society but somehow, that thought didn't surprise me. She held the door open for the second woman, who looked strangely familiar. I balked when I realized who it was.

"Was that your grandfather's chief of staff?" I asked. When her name had come up in the conversation, I almost didn't want to believe it. However, seeing the woman in the flesh was more than enough proof. Once again, Ms. Chancellor was up to some real shady stuff. And I wondered if Grace was in on it too. I looked down at her. She only met my eyes for a second. In that instant, I knew something was up. "Gracie, what aren't you telling me?"

Grace didn't answer me. She opened the door and paused, like she was listening for something. I didn't hear much, except for the clicking of high heels gradually fading into nothing. She suddenly grabbed my hand and started leading me into a tunnel. I wasn't going anywhere though, not until I got some answers.

"Gracie!" I pulled us to a stop. "Do you know who that was?" Grace slowly nodded, almost like she didn't want to admit that she knew. I waited for a further explanation. However, she just stood there, staying silent. It looked like she was shutting me out again.

My head was still reeling from that conversation; I didn't even know where to start. There was so much I wanted to ask Grace, about what she knew, who those women were, and what that meant for her, and for us. However, I knew I had to pick my questions and my words carefully; otherwise, she wasn't going to tell me anything. I knew how one wrong question could instantly cause her to clam up, effectively ending the conversation. But as I looked at her again, she looked confused. And then I realized maybe she knew just as much as I did.

"Wasn't your mother's name Caroline?" I asked, figuring an easy question would get her talking. Unfortunately, that was the wrong question to ask. She looked like she was about to have another mental breakdown. I realized it was too soon to be asking her questions, not when she likely still had a lot to sort out for herself. I mentally kicked myself for thinking I could get her talking so easily. She would open up when she was ready, something I knew all too well.

"Gracie –" I was about to apologize for all the questions, when she interrupted me.

"Noah and the others are going to be looking for us. They're going to be terrified. Now, please. Let's go. Let's just get out of here. Let's –" She was rambling, which meant she was likely going to have a mental breakdown. I had to prevent that from happening, especially since I seemed to be the cause of it with all my questions.

"Okay, Gracie." I took her hand again, handing the control over to her. "Okay." I could ask questions later. Making sure she wasn't going to have a mental breakdown was the first priority, especially after everything we had heard and seen today.

She led me down the tunnels. I noticed water running down the sides of the tunnel, rain trickling down the corridor. Had it rained while we were on the island? There were wet footprints on the ground in front of us, providing a useful guide.

"This can get you back to Iran," Grace said. What about her? Was she just going to dump me in the Iranian embassy and then leave to fulfill her secret missions? That was not okay with me.

"I'm not leaving you. After what we just heard, I'm never letting you out of my sight ever again." Did Grace not realize just how much danger she was in? She needed someone by her side, someone who could protect her from all harm. I was more than capable of doing that.

"I'm okay, Alexei. I'm fine." Grace kept pulling me down the tunnel, clearly not having any of this. It frustrated me that she couldn't see how much her life was at risk.

"No. You're not," I argued. "You're … beeping?" I looked down at her, confused. I heard tons of chiming and vibrating, like someone's phone was going off. If Tanner was here, then I wouldn't have been surprised to hear his phone going off non-stop. But he wasn't. It was just Grace and I.

"I'm what?" She reached into her pocket, pulling out Jamie's phone. Sure enough, it was vibrating like crazy, its text tone sounding over and over. I watched as notifications kept streaming in, quickly filling the lock screen. Texts, voice mails, missed calls, social media alerts, emails. I didn't think I had ever seen such a long stream of notifications, not even on Tanner's phone. The texts in particular kept rolling in. Grace looked at them curiously.

"They're from Spence, the night of the murder," Grace said, scrolling through them. "They're _all_ from Spence." I took a quick glance at a few of the texts.

"_You're not gonna believe this"_

"_Bro, call me_"

"_Where r u?_"

"_Call me ASAP_"

"_I think im in trubl_"

"I thought you weren't supposed to be able to make calls from the island," I said. There weren't any indications of what times those texts were sent, just the date. I had no idea when Spence possibly could have been texting Jamie, especially since I didn't remember him using his phone when we were in the ruins or out on the street before we parted ways.

"You can't."

I raised an eyebrow, the pieces finally starting to come together. "So if Spence was calling and texting your brother after the party but before he died, then …"

"Spence didn't die on the island."

* * *

I wandered through the tunnels, doing my best to find my way to the Iranian embassy. Grace had given me strict instructions on which tunnels to follow and told me to wait there until she came back. I had no idea what she was going to do or when she was even going to come back but I certainly wasn't going to disobey her. Not when it could endanger one, or both, of us.

I turned down another tunnel, trying hard to stay focused on Grace's directions. I hoped I wouldn't get lost, as the last thing I needed was to be aimlessly wandering around the tunnels, especially since dangerous people could find me here and put in prison or worse, kill me. I could only hope that I would make it to the Iranian embassy without running into anyone.

As I rounded a corner, I realized that my luck wasn't going to hold. I spotted a familiar figure up ahead. I quickly looked for somewhere to hide, hoping I could get away before I was spotted. However, there was nothing but long stretches of tunnel around me, making my chances of getting away pretty low.

Sure enough, a pointed cough got my attention. I looked up, taking in the familiar salt-and-pepper hair, strong jawline, and omnipresent scar. We locked eyes. A look of recognition flashed on his face, although I couldn't tell if it was because he recognized me from all the news reports or if he remembered me from our previous meeting, way back when in the Russian embassy.

"Mr. Novak," I said, greeting him formally with a curt nod.

He returned my nod before speaking. "Please, call me Dominic. I believe we've met."

"Yes, we have. What are you doing down here?" His eyes shifted for a second before focusing his attention back to me.

"I could be asking you the same thing. It's not safe here, especially for someone like you." He eyed me closely. I stayed silent, not sure how to respond. "Did you come here alone?"

"No, I was with someone else," I replied, deciding it was better to be honest with Dominic. He seemed like the kind of man who could easily see through bullshit and would call me out for lying.

He raised an eyebrow at me. "Was it Grace?" I blanched, not sure how he had figured that out.

"Of course," Dominic muttered. "And she left you here alone."

"She gave me strict instructions to go to the Iranian embassy and stay there until she came back." Dominic muttered something unintelligible under his breath.

"I would advise you to get there as soon as possible. Like I said before, these tunnels aren't safe for someone like you."

"Can't be any worse than being out in the streets, with the multitude of protesters wanting to get their hands on me."

"Those people want to kill you but don't have any reasonable knowledge on how to go about doing so. The most they can do is engage you in a fight, at which point, you'd be able to fight back and get help. The people who roam these tunnels, they have just as much reason, if not more, to kill you and they have the knowledge and resources to do so. They can take you out with just one blow and end your life before you even knew what was happening." I gulped, letting Dominic's words sink in. As far as I knew, the only people who knew about these tunnels were high-ranking government officials and Society members, both of whom were lethal in their own ways. I shivered at the thought of running into someone else down here, suddenly realizing how lucky it was that I had run into Dominic.

"So, yes, Mr. Volkov, I would advise you to be very careful, regardless of where you are, but especially if you're in these tunnels. Watch your back and those around you. Because you're never going to know who will strike." He gave me one last look, letting the weight of his words sink in. Then, with a curt nod, he walked on. I stared after him in disbelief, wondering what the hell had just happened. I couldn't tell if he was supposed to be my ally or my enemy. He was one of those men who could be either or. For my own safety, I hoped that he would be an ally.

Keeping my conversation with Dominic in mind, I scurried through the tunnels, hoping to make it to the Iranian embassy before I ran into anyone else. I thanked my lucky stars that I had run into Dominic and not someone more lethal. Like one of the Society members. Or one of the people who had originally given Dominic orders to kill. Or worst of all, my father. I knew that I would not have walk away unscathed had I run into him. There was no telling how he would have felt about me or what he could have done to me. Besides, the tunnels would be the perfect place for him to beat the crap out of me.

A shiver went down my spine as a disturbing truth dawned on me. The tunnels really were the perfect place to commit a crime. Few people knew about them. If something did happen, there would have been few to no witnesses and those who could have seen would know to keep their mouths shut. Besides, the ones who did know about the tunnels were likely the ones who would end up committing the actual crimes. I wouldn't have been surprised if quite a few murders had transpired here in the tunnels throughout the years. Was it possible Spence had died down here? If he had, then it still would have taken a lot of effort to drag his body out to the beach. Regardless of how Spence had died, it must have been gruesome from start to finish.

I made it to the Iranian embassy without running into anyone else. I let out a sigh of relief as I pushed open the heavy door to the basement, coming face to face with the ornate yet weathered swimming pool. It was hard to believe this dingy place had become my safe haven. It was here where Grace and her friends had come up with the plans to keep me safe. It was where I had rescued Grace, on her first night back in Adria. It was here where I had sat in shock, grieving the death of Mikhail.

I made my way up the sweeping staircase to the abandoned second floor, where I had sat with my friends just yesterday. I settled down on one of the sheet-covered sofas, running a hand through my hair. So much had happened over the past few days. I sank back against the sofa, feeling the exhaustion catching up to me. I closed my eyes for a few moments, listening to the pouring rain outside. I couldn't shake the feeling that it was a sign of something worse to come.

I checked the emergency phone for any texts or calls. However, there were no notifications. I hoped that Grace had safely made it to wherever she was going and that she would come get me soon. Even if she didn't come for another three days, or ever, I would still wait for her. I knew that, deep down, I would always wait for her. I would always be there for her, if not physically, then in spirit. And so there I sat, a dude in distress, waiting for my princess to return to me.

* * *

**Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Next chapter will be up between June 23 and June 30. What do you think happens next? **

**Now that I'm on summer break, I'm hoping to post chapters more regularly (I'm thinking every 2 weeks or so, most likely on Sunday nights). With this chapter, we're now in the last third of On the Run. There should be 9 more chapters left (not counting this one). I've got a tentative idea of when I'm posting each chapter, based on my summer schedule and my school schedule for next year. And I'm already planning ahead for when I'll be able to start posting Take the Key and Lock Her Up in Alexei's POV! So lots of exciting things to come, they just won't be happening for a while :P **


	23. Chapter 23 - Storytelling

**Hey guys, I hope you've been doing well! I decided to post this chapter earlier rather than later (since it fit better with my summer schedule). For now, I get to chill out for the next couple weeks so I'm hoping to get some editing for On the Run and writing for Take the Key and Lock Her Up in Alexei's POV done. Read on for Grace's tell-all!**

* * *

**Gonna reply to reviews on the previous chapter, thanks so much to everyone who reviewed!**

**A New Look: Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed that chapter! Good eye for catching the foreshadowing, since I like to throw it in here and there. **

**kayla: Thank you, I'm glad you've been enjoying my fanfiction! I try to stick as close as I can to the details from the actual series and tend to write long, detailed chapters haha. So far for Take the Key and Lock Her Up in Alexei's POV, I have one chapter written when Grace, Alexei, and Dominic are in the cabin. It would be fun to write more although I'm not sure how realistic it'd be since I'm trying to keep Grace's appearances to when she's actually with Alexei in the books. **

**Yashica: Thank you, it's nice to hear from you! I'm glad you've been enjoying my fanfiction; there'll be plenty more coming your way soon!**

* * *

**Disclaimer****: I do not own the Embassy Row series and all the characters (except for Tanner and Jordan and Alexei's Moscow friends, who are my own creations). They belong to Ally Carter. I am merely using her characters and plotline to create this fanfiction. I have no intention of profiting off the Embassy Row series in any way. This fanfiction is purely for entertainment purposes and would not exist without Ally Carter's wonderful works. **

**The events that happen in this fanfiction are not meant to be representative of real life. Any similarities to any real-life events or fictional works is purely coincidental and not intentional (with the exception of the original Embassy Row books by Ally Carter since this fanfiction is literally See How They Run but from Alexei's, not Grace's, perspective). The character's actions may not always reflect my own opinions or views. Based on what happens or is mentioned in this chapter (spoiler alert), I do not condone lying or murder. **

**Trigger warning: mild  
****This fanfiction is rated T, for suggestive themes, language, and violence. This chapter contains mentions of mental health issues, murder, and abuse. Read at your own discretion.**

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Three: Storytelling

I wasn't sure how long I sat, lost in my thoughts. The sound of raised voices brought me back to reality. Where they were coming from? I got up, slowly making my way to the staircase, the voices getting louder. I listened, hoping the voices weren't vengeance seekers, here to take my life from me. I shivered at the thought of it being Society members or high-ranking government officials, having a top-secret meeting.

I crept closer to the landing, leaning over the railing. I relaxed, smiling to myself when I heard a familiar mix of Hebrew and Portuguese coming from an even more familiar voice. I made my way down the stairs to the basement, the voices gradually getting louder.

I lingered in the darkened arch of the stairway for a moment, taking in my friends. I had never thought I would see them all, especially Lila, in the basement of the Iranian embassy. How had the rest of the squad convinced her to come here? Regardless, here they were and all because of me. Once again, I felt grateful that I had an amazing group of friends who were quite literally willing to risk their own lives in order to help me.

Before the multi-language sibling brawl, already the second one of the day, could continue, I stepped forward, making my presence known. "Is someone going to tell me what has happened?"

Lila immediately looked at me, a million expressions written all over her face. Shock. Relief. Joy. She ran over to me, as fast as she could in her wedge sandals. I threw my arms open, wrapping her in a tight hug.

"I was so worried," Lila cried, her voice cracking. I leaned down, my lips grazing the top of her ear.

"Don't worry about me. I'm fine," I whispered. Lila muttered something unintelligible against my chest. I continued holding her close, trying my best to comfort her, as I slowly rubbed her back.

"_Ahem!_" I looked up to see Megan giving us a pointed look. Lila stepped back from me. Her cheeks were red and she had mascara smudges under her eyes. I looked down at my shirt, seeing wet streaks and more mascara smudges. The last thing I wanted was to make her cry but I supposed it was too late for that. At least I hoped these were happy tears, instead of the sad or angry tears I must have caused her in the past.

"Now, will someone explain where the two of you went?" Noah asked, pointing at me then Grace. "And what the two of you have been keeping from us?" He pointed at Grace then Lila.

"Grace," Lila said, a warning tone to her voice. What was going on between them? What did they know that the rest of us didn't? I looked over at Grace, seeing an all too familiar facial expression. It was the face she made when deciding whether to do the smart thing or the reckless thing. I could practically see the wheels turning in her head, as she thought this through. I almost feared the outcome, my gut telling me that whatever she decided to do, it wasn't going to end well.

"You can leave if you want to, Lila," Grace said, going in for the kill. Unsurprisingly, she had chosen to do the reckless thing. "You can go tell your mom or Ms. Chancellor what I'm doing right now. You can. It's your right, and I won't try to stop you. But don't try to stop me."

Grace glanced at everyone before continuing. "They're already involved with this, one way or another. They have the right to know." No, it couldn't be. Was Grace talking about the Society? It had to be. I didn't know anything else involving rights and Lila's mother and Ms. Chancellor. If this was about the Society, then Grace had really outdone herself. Surely, she had to know the consequences of talking about the Society to non-members. Regardless, this wasn't going to end well, ranging from a strict talking-to from Ms. Chancellor all the way to death.

Grace looked at each of us in turn then looked over at Lila.

"Go ahead," Lila said. "I won't stop you." I was surprised Lila didn't try to argue with Grace. Surely, she would have put up a fight, to prevent the consequences. Or maybe Lila knew what I already did, that once Grace made up her mind about something, she was going to do it, even if it was reckless or if everyone in the world was against it.

"Okay," Grace said. "Get comfortable and I'll explain." We settled on the hard, tiled floor. I groaned as I sat down, knowing that I was going to be even more sore when I woke up tomorrow morning.

"A thousand years ago, the knights of the Crusades settled Adria," Grace started.

"Feel free to skip ahead a millennium," Noah said. He already sounded bored, which I didn't blame him for.

"No. I can't," Grace said, shaking her head. "Because a thousand years ago men founded this country, but their wives and their daughters and their grand-daughters formed a sort of … society. Or so they tell me. And that society still exists today." Yup, she was definitely talking about _the_ Society, the one that was responsible for all the shady things that had happened in Adria's history.

"I've never heard of it," Megan said. Of course she hadn't. The average citizen wasn't privy to the happenings of the Society. I just so happened to be one of the few non-members who knew about them.

"It's a secret," Grace replied. She looked like she was internally cringing at how that sounded. I couldn't blame her; secret societies were quite cliché, especially ones named 'The Society'.

"What do they do?" Noah asked. He didn't look impressed and I didn't blame him. Secret ladies' groups weren't exactly thrilling to teen boys. If it wasn't for my mother's involvement and all the stories she had told me, I would have written off the Society as some boring lady group too.

"I don't know," Grace said. Given just how much the Society did to cover up all sorts of secrets and rewrite Adrian history, it was hard to narrow down their functions to a few key ones. It was likely none of us sitting here truly knew the full extent of what the Society did, not even Lila or Grace, as newly-fledged members. "Ms. Chancellor said that my grandmother was a part of it, and my mother, and that that might be why someone wanted to kill her."

"You knew about this?" Noah asked, glaring at Lila. She nonchalantly shrugged.

"Mom told me a few –" she started before she was interrupted by Noah.

"_Mom_ is a part of this?" Noah stood up and start pacing. Poor guy. Finding out about the Society was a little overwhelming for the average person, to say the least. I couldn't imagine how much worse it'd be for Noah, not only as a teenage boy, the last demographic the Society would cater to, but as someone who thrived on honesty and hated lies. I supposed I was lucky that my mother had broken the rules and told me about the Society early on. In that way, it had always been a part of my life, something to be accepted. Otherwise, I imagined I'd be just as freaked out as Noah.

"Yes!" Lila exclaimed. "It's why she wanted to be posted in Adria. She wanted me raised as her grandmother was raised. She wanted me to know my birthright."

"_Your _birthright?" Noah asked. He looked like he was in shock and disbelief, which was totally understandable, given how ancient it was for people to still have birthrights. Clearly, this was too much for him.

"It's a girls-only kind of thing," Grace explained. That didn't seem to help since Noah still looked incredulous.

"I don't get it," Rosie said. "So there's a really-old-lady society. That doesn't seem like such a big thing." She looked disinterested, like the Society was just a boring old ladies club. However, the Society was far from that, something that only Society members could truly appreciate. The Society was much bigger than any of them ever could have imagined as without it, the Adria they knew and lived in wouldn't exist.

"To be fair," Megan said, "I don't think it's a club _of_ old ladies, merely –" At least she got that right. After all, Grace and Lila were Society members and they were far from old.

"The Society is a thousand years old," Grace blurted. "_A thousand years_. The Society is as old as Adria itself. It's older than the wall." She paused, giving us time to let her words sink in. "In fact, they're the ones who decided to build the wall. This thing is ancient and powerful. We don't even know how powerful."

"So there's a club," Megan said. "That's nice. I'm sure it's –" She stopped, like she was trying to find the right words. She sounded like she was trying hard to be supportive of Grace but still wasn't convinced. Of course, I didn't blame her. It was easy to be skeptical of the Society's true power and knowledge without first-hand experience.

"It's not a club," Grace said. "It's bigger than that."

"Okay. Of course. I'm sure it's very prestigious and –"

"Ms. Chancellor shot the prime minister!" With that, a stunned silence resounded throughout the room, permeated only by the drops of rainwater leaking through the ceiling and into the pool. I wasn't sure what Grace had been aiming to achieve with that, whether it was to get everyone to shut up, listen to her, or see what the Society was really capable of. Either way, Grace had finally gotten everyone's attention, based on the shocked looks I was seeing.

With that, Grace started spilling the Society's secrets, telling them everything from Spence and his grandmother's involvement with the Society to what really happened the night of the G-20 finale. It was like her declaration about Ms. Chancellor shooting the prime minister had unlocked something in her, causing her to spill everything she knew about the Society, showing our friends just who the Society really was and what they were truly capable of.

"And that's it," Grace said when she finished. She sat back and looked around at everyone, like she was waiting for their reactions. It was a lot to take in, especially for the uninitiated. There were even a few secrets that surprised me, someone with a decent knowledge of the Society. However, everyone needed to realize the gravity of what Grace had just said because that sort of stuff was not supposed to be taken lightly.

"It's true." I spoke up before anyone could try to argue with Grace. The last thing she needed was to be ridiculed after exposing the secrets of the most dangerous and powerful group of people in Adria, and possibly the world. As one of the most mature and responsible kids on Embassy Row, at least until a few days ago, I had a pull on everyone. Everyone would listen to me and take my words for granted. That was why I had to support Grace, so everyone understood just how serious this was, and so that she knew she didn't have to go through this alone.

"We saw Ms. Chancellor. She was with the new prime minister. They spoke of the cadet and of Grace." I looked over at her, silently asking if it was okay for me to talk about what we had seen earlier today. I knew what Grace was like with sharing her secrets. The last thing I wanted was to do that without her consent. I didn't want her to retreat any further into her shell and build her walls higher. She stayed silent, her facial expression not changing. I wasn't going to take her silence as a definitive yes. I decided to talk on, without revealing too much. Since everyone now knew everything about the Society, they needed to know about what had happened today, down in the tunnels. "And of Grace's mother."

Grace shivered at the mention of her mother. I wanted to move beside her, to pull her close and put my arm around her, to let her know that everything would be okay. However, Grace was far from okay and not even a simple gesture like that would help. Besides, I didn't want to raise any more speculations about my feelings for Grace. I felt like they had been made pretty obvious on several occasions in the past.

"Wait. No. This is Ms. Chancellor we're talking about? _Eleanor Chancellor?_" Megan sounded confused, which I sympathized with. It was hard to believe that someone like Ms. Chancellor, a model embassy worker and a dignified woman, was capable of such lethal things, especially murder. If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, then I wouldn't have believed it either.

"Yes," Grace said simply. Because it was the truth and there was nothing else that could be said about it. Ms. Chancellor shot the prime minister and that was that.

"She shot the prime minister and this _society_ or whatever covered it up?" Megan asked, like she couldn't believe what she was saying.

"Yes!" Grace exclaimed. "I know how it sounds, okay? And I know how it looks, but it's true. This time, I swear that I'm not wrong." Judging by the look on her face, it seemed like she wished none of this was true and didn't want to be sitting in the basement of an abandoned embassy, spilling the secrets of a seemingly innocent group of women. "It's true, and…" Her voice cracked. I feared that she was very close to having another mental breakdown. This was not an easy conversation for her, especially since it seemed like there was something she was still keeping from us.

"Say it," Noah demanded. "Come on, Grace – say whatever it is you're afraid to say."

"I think Spence got stuck in that tunnel on the island and then came out the other side. I think he ended up inside the Society – someplace he was never meant to be." That much was true. However, what they didn't know was that I had been there too, right beside Spence. Only I had miraculously made it out alive.

But was it possible that Spence had gone back down to the Society vault after I parted ways with him? That would explain his panicked texts. Yet, I didn't understand why Spence would have done that, even after I had told him the Society was dangerous. Maybe he was desperate to get his hands on some of that buried treasure, so much that he started digging and got caught by a Society member, only to be sentenced to his death. I couldn't think of another reasonable explanation, as terrifying as that was.

"And what else?" Noah prompted. Grace looked pained as she looked Noah in the eye, her voice barely a whisper.

"And I think they killed him."

* * *

It took a few moments for all those shocking revelations to sink in. But after that, the issue became clear. How were we going to prove that the Society had killed Spence for trespassing on their territory?

With that, Grace took charge, dividing up the tasks. She looked like she knew exactly what she was doing, almost like she had done this before. I was willing to bet that Grace and our friends had done something similar when trying to prove that Dominic existed and that he had killed her mother. Nonetheless, Grace looked so confident and at ease as she gave everyone a task they excelled at. I couldn't help but watch with admiration. It took everything I had in me not to grin like an idiot, watching my beautiful Gracie act like a fearless leader, almost like she was born to lead.

Megan was tasked with looking through all the security cameras. She immediately started making notes, which no doubt consisted of which networks to hack into and how to get into them. Rosie managed to convince Grace to let her follow the prime minster. However, Noah also got roped into that, which he wasn't thrilled about. Surprisingly, Lila was helping, although she seemed more than a bit wary. She and Grace were going to 'claim their birthrights', as Grace had put it. I had a sneaking suspicion it involved doing something illegal within the Society, not that Grace hadn't already done something illegal by spilling their secrets.

Once all the tasks had been divided up, we stood up and started gathering our things. After cleaning up, so that no one would suspect we had been here, we were more or less good to go. However, something was still bothering me. I took Grace's hand, pulling her aside.

"I believe you forgot to give me a job," I said, with a teasing, flirty smile. Surely, that just had to be careless negligence on her part. Although deep down, I knew it was more than just that. There was no way I could get involved, not without endangering myself more.

"You can't stay here, Alexei," Grace argued.

"No," I replied, shaking my head. "I'll not leave you to take chances because of me. I'll not sit on my hands while you and our friends place yourselves in danger _because of me_." It was my fault that they were here, in the Iranian embassy, trying to solve a murder. It was my fault that they were risking their lives and aiding a fugitive, something they could be charged for. It was my fault that we were in this mess in the first place. It was only right that I did something to help and get myself out of this mess. It was weighing heavily on my conscience, knowing that my friends were risking their lives for me, while I sat around doing nothing.

"We won't be in any danger! Megan's going to be on her computer. Noah and Rosie are going to be walking down public streets. And Lila and I are just going to go look around a place we've already been invited to look around. It's not dangerous."

"Digging up secrets is always dangerous." On the surface, it sounded like an innocent enough mission. However, this was Adria, where digging up secrets had the potential to turn deadly. There were too many things that could go wrong and too many dire consequences that could be faced if things didn't go according to plan. I knew that first-hand from my mother's experiences. I shivered as I thought of the letter she had written me ten years ago and the fact that she was still missing. The last thing I wanted was for Grace and our friends to face the same fate because of me.

"Alexei, you're still the most wanted man in Adria. We need you to go back to the cave."

"No. These are dangerous people. I don't want you sticking your noses where they do not belong."

"Why? It's not like _you've_ got anything to hide." Boy, was she wrong. Despite everyone's beliefs, I was far from innocent. There was so much stuff I was hiding. Like everything that I knew about the Society from my mother. My relationship with my father and the abuse I had suffered at his hands. My adventures in Moscow and just how involved I had been with Yulia. And most importantly, what had really transpired the night of the party. If anyone ever knew, that would change everything. And I feared that my friends wouldn't look at me the same way ever again if they knew.

I caught Grace's arm, to prevent her from passing. I looked at her, taking in her innocent features and as always, those deep, brown eyes that had seen too much. I looked right into those eyes, willing for her to believe that I wasn't as innocent as I seemed. "We all have things to hide."

* * *

**Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Next chapter will be up between July 1 and July 8. **

**So the cat is out of the bag and the squad knows about the Society. What do you think happens next? **


	24. Chapter 24 - The Internet Has Spoken

**Hey guys, I hope your July has been off to a good start! This is a bit of a filler chapter with lots of dialogue but it's also a long chapter (since my last couple chapters have been shorter, by my standards). Read on to see which character will be making a reappearance!**

* * *

**Gonna reply to reviews on the previous chapter, thanks so much to everyone who reviewed!**

**Guest: Yup, we're just about at the waterfall scene. Stay tuned ;)**

**A New Look: Thank you, I'm glad you liked that chapter! There's definitely going to be lots of drama when everyone finds out about Alexei's secrets XD**

* * *

**Disclaimer****: I do not own the Embassy Row series and all the characters (except for Tanner and Jordan and Alexei's Moscow friends (Roman, Eugene, Josef, and Yulia), who are my own creations). They belong to Ally Carter. I am merely using her characters and plotline to create this fanfiction. I have no intention of profiting off the Embassy Row series in any way. This fanfiction is purely for entertainment purposes and would not exist without Ally Carter's wonderful works. **

**The events that happen in this fanfiction are not meant to be representative of real life. Any similarities to any real-life events or fictional works is purely coincidental and not intentional (with the exception of the original Embassy Row books by Ally Carter since this fanfiction is literally See How They Run but from Alexei's, not Grace's, perspective). The character's actions may not always reflect my own opinions or views. Based on what is mentioned in this chapter (spoiler alert), I do not condone aiding a fugitive or murder. **

**Trigger warning: mild  
****This fanfiction is rated T, for suggestive themes, language, and violence. This chapter contains moderate language and mild to moderately crude banter. Read at your own discretion.**

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Four: The Internet Has Spoken

"That was easily the craziest thing I've ever heard," Noah muttered in disbelief. Him and Rosie were currently walking me back to the cave.

"Tell me about it!" Rosie seconded. "I didn't think it was possible for a secret group of ladies like that to exist."

"I will never look at Ms. Chancellor the same way. Or my mother," Noah said darkly, shaking his head. "Hell, or Lila for that matter. How could she have kept something like that from me?"

"You know that Society members are held to extreme secrecy," I argued, coming to Lila's defence. "She wouldn't have been able to tell you without facing dire consequences."

"And how would you know that?" Noah retorted. He and Rosie both looked at me expectantly.

"My mother was a member of the Society. I learned a few things from her," I said, keeping it at that. The less they knew, the better.

"You too?" Noah muttered. "Geez, who next? We find out the Scarred Man is an honorary member?" Although I highly doubted that, as funny as it would be, I wouldn't have been surprised if Dominic knew a few things about the Society.

"Based on what Grace told us, it sounds like a pretty strict ladies-only club," Rosie said, with a shrug.

"Figures," Noah mumbled. "I wonder who else is on this Society thing." Rosie and I exchanged a look. Noah was not taking this well, to say the least. It looked like he really did have something against people keeping secrets and not being honest with him.

"How have you been liking the cave so far?" Rosie asked. I could make out the clearing and the rocks that had been my home for the past twenty-four hours.

"It's been a little rough," I said, with a smirk. "But it's been surprisingly cozy."

"See? Isn't it perfect for hiding out?" Rosie asked, a huge grin on her face.

"No offense, Ro, but no matter how many times I've looked at that cave over the past day, it still doesn't strike me as cozy," Noah said, shaking his head.

"It gets cozier the more time you spend in it. But hey, that's your call," Rosie replied with a nonchalant shrug as we approached the cave. "Can I pop in for a bit?"

"Sure, I don't mind," I said. Rosie eagerly climbed in, followed by Noah.

"Wow, it looks so homey!" Rosie exclaimed. "It almost makes me want to live here."

"You're more than welcome to stay the night," I said, with a laugh. "Although I'd doubt you'd want to."

"I'm good, thanks," Noah replied. "Hey, where'd you get this?"

"Get what?" I asked. I had been standing outside while the two of them were in the cave.

"These grocery bags." Noah walked out of the cave, holding a bag filled with granola bars.

"Oh, Lila got me that," I replied. "She dropped by this morning with Tanner and Jordan and brought me a bunch of food and toiletries."

"Actually?" Noah looked pretty shocked. "How the hell did Lila know you were here?"

"In case you missed it, Grace filled her in. That's how they organized the trip back to the island."

"I don't know what's more shocking, the fact that Lila seems to have a heart or the fact that her and Grace are actually talking to each other and are involved in this crazy ladies club," Noah muttered, shaking his head in disbelief. I heard a giggle from inside the cave and tried my hardest to keep from smiling.

"Anyways, Lila had a lot to say when she realized you took your father's coffee filter," I said.

"Hey, I was just trying to grab as much stuff as I could without getting caught!" Noah argued. "I wasn't really paying attention to what I was grabbing."

"Well, you can take that coffee filter back because I don't have a use for it."

"Duly noted." He handed me the grocery bag then ducked back into the cave. He emerged a few moments later with Rosie, his father's coffee filter in hand.

"As much as I'd love to stay, we've got a prime minister to follow," Rosie said, an excited gleam in her eyes. Noah looked less than thrilled though.

"Someone should be stopping by tomorrow with food," Noah said. "Though by the looks of it, Lila's got you covered for a while."

"Don't worry about me, I'll be fine," I said, with a smile. "You guys take care." Noah and Rosie waved then headed off.

I walked back into the cave, settling down on my sleeping bag. I grabbed a box of cereal, some canned almonds, and a packet of dried apricots, mixing them into a trail mix of sorts. I eagerly dug in, not having eaten anything since that take-out from Amelia's. This definitely beat my dinner of protein bars last night. I washed my meal down with water then tidied up the cave. It gave me something to focus on besides the swirling mass of thoughts in my head.

Once that was done, I sat down on my sleeping bag. I thought of all my friends and what they would be doing at this moment. It was easy to imagine Megan on her bed with her laptop and a bunch of snacks, hacking her way into all sorts of government networks and camera feeds. Noah and Rosie were probably winding their way through downtown Valancia, making light conversation while trailing the prime minister. Lila and Grace were likely in the Society's secret room in the tunnels, doing God knows what. I feared for their safety, hoping they wouldn't get caught up in any more dangerous secrets.

Jordan would be at work, waiting tables during the busy dinner shift. Tanner would be chilling at Amelia's, sending endless Snaps and waiting for Jordan's shift to finish so they could hang out. Usually, I'd be there too. It sent a twinge of longing through my heart, knowing that I couldn't do even the simplest things like hang out at a café. I was never going to take the little things for granted again.

I wondered what Jamie would be doing, now that he was here in Valancia. Would he be having dinner with his grandfather and Ms. Chancellor? Going on an evening run? Hanging out in downtown Valancia? I remembered our phone conversation a week and a half ago, when he mentioned he would be coming to Valancia and asked if I wanted to hang out. I had taken him up on his offer but we never made concrete plans. It would have been fun to hang out again, just like old times. Maybe I could have introduced him to Tanner and Jordan. Yet, I wasn't sure if Jamie would want to hang out with me, now that I had been falsely accused of murdering his friend. Would Jamie believe that I had killed Spence? Or would he see through all the lies spread by the media and know that I would never do such a thing? I wasn't sure which option was more plausible.

The sound of footsteps broke me out of my thoughts. I immediately went into high alert, grabbing my backpack so I could run if I had to. Had law enforcement officials found me, perhaps purely by chance? Or did someone rat me out? Only my friends knew where I was; I didn't think any of them were likely to rat me out for some short-lived fame. As much as I trusted in my friends' loyalty towards me, there were always tiny flickers of doubt in my mind. However, my worries were soon alleviated when I heard familiar voices.

"You aren't supposed to come here," I said, poking my head out the cave entrance.

"Says who? It's not a crime," Tanner replied, coming into view.

"Says me. If anyone sees you with me, you could be charged with aiding a fugitive," I said.

"Relax, bro, no one's going to know that we're here. This place is, quite literally, in the middle of nowhere." I internally groaned when I saw Jordan. As happy as I was to see them, I didn't want to put them in danger.

"Well, not exactly the middle of nowhere." I looked up, astonished to see a third person.

"Really, Lila? You too?" I asked. "I thought you would have known better."

"Oh, believe me, I did," Lila replied, her tone of voice indicating she agreed with me. "I had every intention of having a chill night in with Megan at her place. But then these two buffoons –" She gave Tanner and Jordan a pointed look, " – kept spamming me, saying they had to show you something. And there was no way I was going to let them go alone. So here I am."

"What's up?" I asked, turning to face Tanner and Jordan.

"We thought we'd show you what's happening on social media right now," Jordan said, pulling out his phone and handing it to me. "Twitter will not shut up about what you've done." I scrolled through Jordan's Twitter home page. All I saw were tweets about the party and Spence's murder.

"People are arguing over whether or not you killed Spence, who was in the wrong, and if Spence got what he deserved. Those are the latest Twitter trends." I clicked into the trending section and scrolled through all the hashtags. #JusticeForSpence was the biggest one, followed by #RussianMurderer. I was dismayed to find that the image of me being held back by Grace and Spence being held back by Jamie had been turned into a meme, hashtagged #ColdWar2.

"That meme is insane," Tanner said. "People are using it like the Krusty Krab vs. Chum Bucket meme."

"Except Spence is the Krusty Krab and you're the Chum Bucket," Jordan added. I grimaced, internally facepalming. How was a comparison like that even possible? In addition to a murderer, apparently, I was now also a meme. Go figure.

"Don't worry, bro. Not everyone on Twitter thinks you killed Spence," Jordan said. "People are commenting on the lack of DNA testing, as well as the fact that you never had a court hearing. Needless to say, most people are pretty convinced."

"Swept up by the media's captivating lies," I muttered.

"You should have seen his Twitter rant and the fights he got into during his work break," Tanner said, like I had missed out on something great.

"Jordan, what did you do?" I asked, in a tone of voice that I usually reserved for Tanner whenever he did something stupid. Jordan just shrugged, like it wasn't a big deal.

"How bad is it, in comparison to Tanner's Snap stories?" I asked, looking up at everyone. Tanner looked mildly offended.

Jordan was about to say something when Lila cut him off. "It's pretty bold but it's safe to say we've got your back, offline and online." I wasn't sure if it was the fierce look in her eyes, the firm nod she gave me, or her no-nonsense tone of voice but something made me believe her. I clicked into Jordan's profile, scrolling down to the tweets from this afternoon. Much like Tanner's obsession with Snapchat, Jordan used Twitter a lot. He had amassed quite the following and constantly shared his opinion on all sorts of issues. Bracing myself for what I was about to see, I clicked on the first tweet in the thread.

"_So everyone has been talking about the murder of a West Point cadet by the son of the Russian ambassador here in Adria. I thought I'd share my views on this_"

"_First off, for anyone grieving the loss of John Spencer, your pain is valid. Whether you are sad, angry, overwhelmed, you are allowed to feel whatever you want. I'm not going to tell you how you should feel_"

"_As some of you may know, I live in Adria. I was there the night of the party, watching the fight as it happened. I have a better idea than most of what happened that night_"

"_Many of you have seen the Snapchat story posted by my friend tannerpark836. Everything in that Snap story is true_"

"_O__ne of the guys involved in the fight is one of my closest friends. And it wasn't John Spencer, or Spence as he was known"_

"_Believe it or not, I am friends with the #RussianMurderer. AKA the guy accused of killing Spence_. _H__is name is Alexei. Say what you want, but I know Alexei did not kill Spence_"

"_I know, I know, the video. It's hard to argue against and I totally agree. When news broke, I told him 'That mouth of yours has gotten you into some serious shit'. Ngl, that was a sentence I'd never thought I'd say_"

"_I know Alexei. I know he'd never commit murder. He's a no-nonsense kind of guy. If he has beef with you, he'll say something. He'll talk it out rationally. He won't get into fights unless it's for self-defence or he's standing up for someone"_

"_idk how that fight started since one moment, I was just chilling, and the next, Alexei and Spence were rolling out of the forest, going at each other. But Alexei would never initiate a fight, especially over a girl_"

"_T__he girl who was the reason for the fight, I don't know her personally but I know enough about her from Alexei. And I know that he truly cares for her. He wouldn't have fought Spence over a girl unless she was seriously threatened by him_"

"_Again, idk what happened in that forest. But it must have seriously pissed off Alexei_. _He's a very calm and level-headed guy. He would not lose his cool, not without good reason. I've seen him lose it, but never like that before._"

"_So my point is, Alexei never would have murdered Spence. Say what you want but I know him well enough to know he would never do such a thing. End of story._" That was the end of Jordan's Twitter rant. After that, there were just as many tweets, some of them extremely profanity-laced, replying to people who had commented on his rant.

"Bro, you shouldn't have done that," I said, handing Jordan's phone back to him.

"Why not? The internet needs to know you're innocent," Jordan said, indignant.

"Besides, Jordan isn't the only one stirring up trouble," Lila said.

"What's going on?" I asked, instantly feeling like something sketchy was going on. She just looked from me to Tanner, as if leaving him to explain himself. Oh boy, what had Tanner done now?

"Bro, is this one of your Moscow friends?" Tanner handed me his phone. I was surprised at what I saw. Messages between Tanner and Roman on Instagram.

"Yeah, that is." It was hard to keep the surprise out of my voice. "How do you know Roman?"

"He randomly messaged me yesterday, asking if I was one of your friends," Tanner said. "I remembered him from your stories and we got talking." I scrolled through tons of messages. It looked like they had quickly become friends. Just then, a new message popped up.

"_u there? At the cave?" _Roman messaged.

"Bro, did you tell Roman about the cave?" I asked, instantly getting wary.

"He asked me how you were doing so I told him." Tanner shrugged nonchalantly, like he didn't see what the problem was. "Apparently shit started getting real over there when the news broke." I just shook my head. The more people who knew where I was, the more likely law enforcement would find me. I should have known Tanner and his big mouth would spread this everywhere.

Tanner grabbed his phone back. He started typing furiously, no doubt replying to Roman.

"You want to video chat him?" Before I could reply, Tanner handed me his phone, which was currently video-calling Roman on Instagram.

"Wait what?" I mumbled. My hair was a mess, there were dark circles under my eyes, and I was so not prepared to video chat. "Isn't there no signal out here? Plus, it's going to suck all your data."

"Unlimited data courtesy of the embassy, remember?" Tanner waved me off. "Or has living in the wild for a day already made you forget the perks of embassy life?" Right, I had kinda forgotten about that. But I didn't have time to dwell on it because Roman's face soon popped up on Tanner's phone, his voice blaring from the speaker.

"Alexei, my man, how have you been?" Roman asked in Russian. He looked really happy to see me and I couldn't help but smile.

"I've been surviving," I managed to get out. This whole situation was a bit weird to me. Not only my new cave life but the fact that Tanner and Roman had apparently become friends.

"I see that. No offense but you're looking like shit. Even worse than Eugene after your homecoming party," Roman said. I laughed, remembering that wild party my first night back in Moscow. What I wouldn't give to go back to those chill times.

I looked up to see three blank faces staring at me. Roman seemed to sense this as he asked, "What do you say? Shall we switch to English for the benefit of our non-Russian comrades?"

"Sure," I replied.

"So, your friend, Tanner, has been telling me that things have been nuts in Adria," Roman said, in English.

"How are they in Moscow?" Surely, it couldn't be as bad as it was here.

"Man, it's been wild." Roman shook his head. "There have been tons of protests here. Most people think you were wrongly framed for the murder and they've been protesting for your freedom." I let out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding. So it looked like my country, my motherland, did have my back after all.

"Eugene and I think there's no chance you would have murdered that guy," Roman continued. "Josef thinks you did it for attention. Yulia's been quite distraught. I've been messaging her. She says you don't seem like the type to kill someone out of cold blood but the media reports have made her unsure." Since when were Roman and Yulia talking? They had just seemed like acquaintances to me when I was in Moscow. I didn't know what to find more surprising, that, or Tanner and Roman's new friendship.

"Anyways, I've been trying to convince her that the media reports are a load of bull," Roman said. "There's no way in hell you would have killed someone over a girl. I mean, sure, I can see you beating up another man over a girl but killing them? No way. Personally, I think those Americans killed John Spencer and are just looking for an easy target to blame, as a way to start another cold war. Either way, this murder has made the Internet go nuts here."

"I agree," Lila said, speaking up. "Megan and I were just looking at crackpot theories on Tumblr of who really killed Spence. A lot of people think you did it but there are a few who think it was someone in the American embassy. There's even one theory suggesting someone in the Russian embassy killed Spence, pinned the blame on you, then tried to kill you to keep the truth hidden. It's wild."

"Hey, those are all just theories," Jordan added, shrugging. "For all we know, none of them could be true or they could all contain bits of the truth."

"Man, that's crazy," Roman said, shaking his head. "I mean, I can see a Russian murdering an American. But there's no way a fellow Russian would turn their back on you. I'm definitely saying it was a set-up by the Americans, especially that crazy car explosion. Like what the hell even was that?"

"All I know is that car was supposed to take me to my official questioning but then it blew up before I could get in it," I said, matter-of-factly. I tried not to think of everything that explosion had taken away from me, like my freedom and Mikhail.

"Man, a bunch of us were at Josef's place, to watch the live stream of the questioning. We kept waiting for you to show up but then we saw the footage of the car blowing up and didn't know what to think. We thought you had died in the explosion. We messaged all your social media but you weren't replying. The news reports were mixed, saying that you had died in the explosion or that you had run away and was now at large. Some reports even suggested that you had set up the explosion so you'd have a chance to get away." I shook my head in disbelief. This was getting way too out of hand.

"After Jordan and I heard about the explosion, we were pretty freaked out," Tanner chimed in. "Roman messaged me soon after, asking if I knew anything about your current status. Jordan and I didn't know anything until Lila texted us this morning, letting us know you were safe."

"And then he passed that onto me," Roman added. "Which I am very relieved to hear about." Great, so news of my fugitive status had made it to Moscow after all.

"Who else knows?" I asked, looking right at Roman.

"I've told Eugene and Yulia but that's it, swear on my life," Roman said. "I've also sworn them to secrecy on this." Okay, that wasn't too bad. I knew Eugene and Yulia could keep their mouths shut. I was going to hold Roman to that too.

"Just don't tell Josef," I said.

"Of course I won't. If he finds out, it'll get all over Moscow." I nodded in agreement. Josef had arguably an even bigger mouth than Tanner. If he found out, he would post it all over social media and his father would spread it to potentially the whole world.

"How is Yulia handling all this?" I asked tentatively. She was quite sensitive and based on what Roman told me, it didn't seem like she was faring too well.

"She was quite distressed after seeing the explosion and the subsequent news reports. She didn't know what to think about you anymore, especially after how things had ended between the two of you." Roman gave me a knowing look and I knew that would have been accompanied by a nudge if we were hanging out in person.

"Hold up, who's Yulia?" Tanner asked. Jordan looked equally confused. Roman and I exchanged a look.

"It's all yours, my man," Roman said, giving me a cheeky grin. "After all, you were the one who got involved with her." I let out a huff of annoyance. Why did everyone always want to talk about my relationship drama?

"Is she the blonde bimbo who was in your stories while you were in Moscow?" Lila's voice was angry, surprising the four of us guys. Her face was dark and she didn't look happy.

"She's blonde all right. I wouldn't necessarily call her a bimbo though," Roman said cautiously.

"Either way, she's someone who Alexei shouldn't have gotten involved with," Lila countered. "Especially since he had Grace."

"Hey, it looks like you weren't kidding about your Adria chick after all," Roman said. "The boys are going to have a field day with that."

"Whoa, back up a sec," Jordan said, holding up his hand. "Alexei, were you involved with someone in Moscow, even though you had the American chick here? Cause that's what I'm getting from Roman."

""Look, it's not what you think," I said, desperately trying to clear the air. "It was just a casual thing to get my mind off Grace."

"That's what they always say," Lila said, looking right at me. I tried not to balk under her intense gaze. It was her 'business' look, meaning she wasn't leaving until she got what she wanted. "So, Alexei, why don't you go ahead and tell us the full story?" There were murmurs of agreement from Tanner, Jordan, and Roman.

I sighed. I had wanted to get off this topic as soon as possible but now that I had two sets of friends seriously interested in my relationship drama, it looked like no one was going to be satisfied until I spilled the beans. I took a deep breath, starting with Grace's return to Adria and Tanner and Jordan's attempts to get me to talk to her, then, everything that had happened in Moscow with Yulia, and lastly, everything that had happened with Grace since I got back to Adria, namely, the fight with Spence and the aftermath.

When I finished, I was met with stunned silence. Lila looked angry and hurt. Tanner and Jordan looked surprised in a bad way. And Roman looked surprised in a good way, breaking the silence with a low whistle.

"Wow, Alexei, that was something all right," Roman said.

"Who would have thought, you, of all people, two-timing your girl?" Jordan mused.

"Well, was it worth it?" Roman asked, looking at me expectantly. I just shrugged. Sure, I had enjoyed my time with Yulia but I still felt terrible for leading her on. In the end, it just left me even more conflicted about my feelings for Grace.

"Nope, I think he's still got the hots for the American chick," Tanner said, looking at me.

"If that's the case, your Adria girl is _crazy_," Roman said. "If she really did save your life by drugging you so you didn't go into the exploding car, then it looks like Yulia will have to thank her big time." Oh man, that would be one awkward conversation. I hoped that Yulia and Grace wouldn't ever meet each other.

"Besides, between the five of us, I think Yulia's still not over you," Roman said quietly.

"How do you know?" I asked warily.

"She posted this on her Instagram last night." Roman clicked around on his phone for a few moments. Soon, a new message popped up in the chat. It was a screenshot of Yulia's latest post, a selfie that the two of us had taken during our riverside walk the day before I left Moscow. We looked content and at peace, the Moskva River shimmering behind us, the sun setting in the background. She hadn't tagged me in it but there was still a short caption. "_Wherever you are, I hope you're doing well XO"_ Clearly, that had been meant for me, even though she likely didn't expect me to see it.

"Damn, bro, where did this come from?" Tanner asked, looking stunned.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you and her look pretty in love," Jordan added, taking a close look at the picture.

"There was something going on between them, all right," Roman added. "You may have seen their stories but you didn't see Alexei and Yulia wrapped up in each other during meals or talking like they were in their own little world. And _especially _not the steamy hot tub makeout." My cheeks reddened in embarrassment. Tanner and Jordan looked at me in shock while Lila's face got darker.

"That is the last thing I'd expect from you, no offence," Jordan said, looking at me funny. I just sighed. There really was no way to explain how I, a loyal, clean-cut boy, had had a vacation fling despite having feelings for another girl back home. I had done something stupid and that was it.

"We're never going to let him live that down," Roman said, winking.

"Tell me about it," I muttered. Knowing Roman and the boys, I'd be hearing about that for all eternity. The last thing I had wanted was for this to get out to Tanner and Jordan, who could potentially spread it to the whole of Adria. Having Lila here only complicated things further, especially with our long and tumultuous relationship history. I knew that she was likely quite upset about this, if the look on her face was anything to go by. I'd have to talk to her one on one, to clear the air and hopefully make things up to her. In any case, I feared this was something she wouldn't be getting over anytime soon.

"You got any plans for tonight?" Tanner asked, turning his attention back to Roman.

"Nah, just having a chill night at home," Roman replied.

"Wow, really? Based on what I saw from Alexei's stories, you guys are pretty crazy with the parties over there," Jordan said.

"We're taking it easy on the parties for now," Roman said. "We've been out all day advocating on Alexei's behalf, making sure he gets what he deserves, freedom and justice, not a fugitive life." I couldn't help but be surprised at that. Not just my Adria friends, but my Moscow friends too? Fighting for me to ensure my innocence was proven?

"Well, duh," Jordan said, giving me a knowing look. Ugh, I must have spoken my thoughts out loud again. "Alexei, you're still my friend, no matter how much shit you go through. I'll always believe that you're innocent since I know there's no way you could do such a thing."

"Thanks, bro. I'm glad you've got my back, even with the masses who are out for my blood right now," I said.

"Don't worry, we got you. I know I'll help you as much as I can through this," Lila said, a determined look in her eyes.

"Same here," Roman added. "Don't forget, Alexei, Moscow is fighting for you and our friends are at the forefront of this, making sure you get what's right. You're not going through this alone."

"What they said. Bros for life, right?" Tanner chimed in.

"You know it," I said, unable to stop myself from smiling. Even though my body, dead or alive, was wanted by millions around the world, my father didn't give a rat's ass about me, my mother was missing, and the man that I trusted the most was dead, I still had amazing friends who really cared about me and stuck by my side. That alone was something to celebrate, in the misery of what was now my life.

* * *

**Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Next chapter will be up between July 16 and July 22 (although I'm aiming to post it the evening of July 19).**** I start four weeks of shadowing tomorrow so I'll be a bit busier. **

**How did you like seeing Alexei's Moscow friends again? I felt like this chapter was missing something until I got inspiration last week to write in Roman and his views on Alexei's fugitive status. What do you think happens next? I think you should all have a very good idea of which chapter is next ;) **

**Funny story about this chapter: I was having a chill afternoon writing the first draft of this chapter when I got the email saying I had been accepted to medical school! That was about two years ago (since I write my chapters way in advance). I think it's crazy how the time has passed since then and how I'm still working on fanfiction while studying. Thank you to everyone for all the support, regardless of how long you've been following my stories. It's been amazing taking you guys with me through both my fanfiction and my med school journey :)**


	25. Chapter 25 - Paradise

**This is it. The chapter you've all been waiting for. Read on for pure Gralexei.**

* * *

**Gonna reply to reviews on the previous chapter, thanks so much to everyone who reviewed!** **It was amazing to see so many reviews within 24 hours of the previous chapter going up! It seriously made my day, especially since it was my first day shadowing and doing clinical things ever since COVID started, which I was a bit nervous about.**

**Yashica: Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed reading that chapter and I hope this chapter finds you well! You can feel free to message me here or on Instagram and I'd be more than happy to share uni and med school advice (this goes for all of my readers)! **

**Guest: Haha thanks, the whole Roman/Tanner friendship was a new addition. Not sure if it'll go anywhere but perhaps I'll get some ideas on where to take it for the rest of On the Run and Take the Key and Lock Her Up in Alexei's POV.**

**Guest: Looks like you won't have to wait much longer for the waterfall scene ;) I'm glad you enjoyed seeing Alexei's Moscow friends again!**

**A New Look: I'm glad you enjoyed seeing Alexei's Moscow friends again! I imagine Grace won't react well to finding out about Yulia :P **

**kayla: Thank you! I'm glad you've been enjoying my stories! I currently don't have any plans to have Grace find out about Yulia within Embassy Row in Alexei's POV, since I'm aiming to keep it as close as possible to the original books and limit Grace's appearances to when she's actually with Alexei. Although I suppose there could be a fun, non-canon, one-shot of Grace meeting Yulia after Embassy Row in Alexei's POV… **

**Guest: Thank you, I'm glad you've been enjoying my stories! I hope this chapter finds you well!**

* * *

**Disclaimer****: I do not own the Embassy Row series and all the characters (except for Tanner and Jordan and Alexei's Moscow friends, who are my own creations). They belong to Ally Carter. I am merely using her characters and plotline to create this fanfiction. I have no intention of profiting off the Embassy Row series in any way. This fanfiction is purely for entertainment purposes and would not exist without Ally Carter's wonderful works. **

**The events that happen in this fanfiction are not meant to be representative of real life. Any similarities to any real-life events or fictional works is purely coincidental and not intentional (with the exception of the original Embassy Row books by Ally Carter since this fanfiction is literally See How They Run but from Alexei's, not Grace's, perspective). The character's actions may not always reflect my own opinions or views. Based on what happens in this chapter (spoiler alert), I do not condone any form of emotional abuse, such as lying and gaslighting. **

**Content warning: mild  
****This fanfiction is rated T, for suggestive themes, language, and violence. This chapter contains emotional abuse and mentions of murder and death. Please read at your own discretion.**

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Five: Paradise

After Tanner, Jordan, and Lila left, I was once again alone in the cave. It was nice to have time to myself but the quiet was almost disconcerting. I feared that at any moment, someone would discover where I was and take me captive. I could only hope my name would be cleared before it came to that.

I ate a couple granola bars and washed it down with some water, to keep my energy up. Rationing them was the wise thing to do. However, I had enough for last me for a week or two, especially if Lila came back with more groceries and the others kept bringing food, as promised. But that was only if my food supply wasn't ransacked; otherwise, I'd really have to fend for myself. I made a mental note to divide and hide the groceries from Lila tomorrow. It was getting late and I was too tired to do it now.

It hadn't taken me long to discover that there wasn't much to do up here, besides getting lost in my thoughts. I was so used to having constant access to the Internet, being bombarded by all sorts of social media notifications, that it was hard to be bored. I wouldn't risk using the emergency phone to check my social media accounts out of sheer boredom. If someone had been monitoring them, it would only take seconds to track down my location and send an alert to law enforcement.

I laid back against the sleeping bag. I couldn't shake the disgusting, grimy feeling of not having showered for over a day. The water bottle sponge bath was not going to cut it, not when I felt so disgusting. I wiped myself down with a wet wipe but that did little to make me feel better.

I suddenly realized why this area was so familiar. It was close to the hot springs Jamie and I had found years ago and frequented often. After a nice dip, we'd occasionally explore the surrounding area. Now that I thought about it, I remembered seeing this cave in passing, not that either of us had dared to venture inside. Surely, it wouldn't be too difficult to find the hot springs from here. As appealing as a dip in the hot springs sounded, I wasn't sure if I was willing to risk it just yet. It involved leaving my belongings behind, not the smartest move. And the farther I ventured, the easier it would be for someone to find me. If I got more desperate, then I'd reconsider.

Pounding footsteps and heavy breathing sounded throughout the air, breaking the otherwise serene silence. I immediately snapped to attention, wondering if someone had found me. I doubted my friends would be coming to check on me, since it was getting late. Besides, most of them were just here. It could have been an emergency. However, that breathing sounded all too familiar. I poked my head ever so slightly out of the entrance. When I spotted a familiar figure and blonde hair, I let out the nervous breath I had been holding in.

"Hi," I said, stepping out of the cave to find Grace. On the horizon, the sun was setting over the sea, casting the sky in breathtaking shades of red and orange. Grace looked down on Valancia, the city with a rich history surrounded by the magnificent stone wall. I saw her countenance changing, from guarded and reserved to broken and hurt.

"What's wrong?" I asked. I moved towards her, wanting to hold her in my arms and let her know that everything would be okay. Grace merely shook her head, not speaking. Was she deciding whether or not to let me in? Or had she just come seeking my presence, without any intentions of telling me what was going on? Regardless, something had to be going on with her. Surely, she wouldn't have come all this way for no reason.

"Gracie, are you okay?" I looked right into her eyes, begging her to let me in. I knew she was hurting; everything about her, from her silence to her pained facial expression, made that clear. I didn't want her to shut me out again, not when we had come so far.

Her eyes shifted, as if finally relenting. "Is it true?"

"Is what true?"

"Did your embassy blow up its own car? Were they going to fake your death and send you back to Russia?" I glanced at her in surprise. Where had all this come from? Sure, Megan had mentioned that since the car came from the Russian embassy, then someone inside the embassy must have planted the bomb. That was a semi-reasonable, albeit still far-fetched, conclusion. Faking my death and sending me back to Russia? That was a whole other thing. All I knew was that I was supposed to be taken in for a questioning, except that had gone extremely off the rails. It was anyone's guess, really, as to what my father and the embassy's true intentions were.

"I don't know," I replied honestly. It looked like it pained her to hear me say that. Yet, I couldn't lie to her, not when I didn't know the truth myself.

"Did you see Spence back on the mainland that night?" I immediately tensed up, fearing that if she knew the truth, she was not going to take it well.

"_No_," I said, emphatically, as if trying to prove my point. I stepped towards her, reaching for her hand, to try to make her believe me. However, she pulled away, as if she could tell I was lying.

"Gracie, I swear to you that I got a ride home with some kids I didn't know and went straight back to the embassy. I swear it," I said, almost pleading with her. Yes, it was a flat-out lie but surely, she didn't know any better. I would do my best to stick it until proven otherwise, which hopefully wouldn't ever happen. After all, only two people knew the truth of what had really happened after the party and one of them was dead.

"Jamie says there's a witness who saw you with Spence on the mainland. _After _the party." I bristled, trying to hide my shock. Where had he heard that from? Was Jamie really willing to go against me, his long-time best friend, for one of his West Point friends? At this point, I had no idea where his loyalties laid, only that it looked like this scandal had seriously fractured our friendship. I hoped that after this died down, we'd be able to salvage what little remained of our friendship. I didn't want to lose years of memories over a false murder accusation.

"There isn't. Or the witness is mistaken. Or lying. I never saw Jamie's friend again. Not after the island." Well technically, I hadn't seen Spence again after leaving the Society vault, which was really an extension of the ruins and thus, the island. So that was somewhat of a half-truth. I didn't want her to know the full truth; otherwise, all the trust that we had built would be broken in a second.

"Gracie, would I lie to you?" I asked. I caught her gaze but she looked away, eyes wavering as if deciding between two evils. Part of her clearly wanted to believe me but part of her was still hesitant. We both knew I would never hurt her, which included lying to her. Up until this very moment, at least. I didn't want to lie to her, as it made me feel sick. The pit in my stomach and growing nauseous feeling was ample evidence of that. I hated doing this to her, since it was cruel and manipulative, but I didn't have a choice. I had to make her believe me, at least for now. For my own personal safety, I needed her on my side if I wanted to make it out of this alive. Maybe one day, I'd tell her the truth but not now, when the truth would only serve to further incriminate me and hurt her.

I reached for her hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. This time, she didn't pull away. I took it as a sign that she believed me, at least somewhat. However, I had to hear it from her. I had to make her say the words; otherwise, this would all fall apart.

"Say you believe me, Gracie. None of it matters if you don't believe me." I found her eyes, forcing her to look right at me. Her eyes were still wary, filled with uncertainty. "What's wrong?" Something was really bothering her, given how quiet she had been. If she wanted to bring up something contradictory and say she didn't believe me, now was the time to do so. If she decided not to trust me, fine. That was her decision. Yet, surely, she had to realize it would be better for both of us if she trusted me, at least for the time being.

"Lila and I are going to go down to the Society tomorrow. Maybe we can find something about the treasure or Spence or…" Grace said, shaking her head. "I don't know _what_ to do." She sounded like she was far too overwhelmed, stuck at the crossroads of solving an impossible problem. The many opposing viewpoints from her friends and family likely wasn't helping either.

"Then don't do anything. Please, Gracie. Please. It's too dangerous. And you're too … You're too important." There were likely a million things she wanted to do, in order to get to this bottom of all this. Yet, all I wanted her to do right now was to trust me for this moment.

"I'm not important." Grace shook her head but I quickly caught her hands, to make her see otherwise. She had already done far too much for me, which I was so grateful for. Without her, I wouldn't be alive.

"You're important to me." Even if I had lied about everything else, that was one thing I'd never lie about. Grace had no idea just how much she meant to me and she would probably never know. Even if she thought she wasn't important, she would never be worthless in my eyes, not after everything she had fought through, for me, for herself, and for us. Up here in the hills, far away from Valancia, it was just the two of us. And I wanted it to feel that way too, just the two of us taking on the world together.

"Just don't take any chances, okay?" I asked. "Don't get hurt. I don't think I could take it if you got hurt. Say you understand, Gracie." In creating this mess, the last thing I wanted was for Grace to get hurt. There were some dangerous people out there, who wanted my flesh and would do anything, including hurting Grace, to get it. I didn't want her to die trying to fix my life. I would never forgive myself if that happened. She was worth so much more than that.

Finally, Grace looked into my eyes, a smile on her face. "I understand." With that, it really did feel like the two of us against the world. But I was okay with that because it meant she was on my side.

I suddenly felt the urge to get away, away from all those people who were out to get us. I didn't care if that was stupid, given the high stakes. Now that Grace was on my side, I wanted to run away with her and have a night just for us, where we could let our guards down and be who we wanted to be, without judgment from the rest of the world.

"You want to get out of here?" I asked, tugging on one of her hands.

"You can't go back to town, Alexei. It's not safe yet." Yes, going back to Valancia was out of the question. But there was one place that was still safe. Although I had been hesitant about it a few moments ago, I didn't care anymore, not with Grace here. I didn't want to be trapped by the confines of fugitive life any longer than necessary. Surely, in the grand scheme of things, one reckless night wasn't going to be the end of me. I wanted to live, while I still could, and do it with Grace at my side.

"Then we won't go to town." I took her hand, guiding her to the secret paradise a short distance from here. We were quiet as we walked but that was okay. With Grace, I didn't feel the need to fill every silence with conversation. I was happy to lead her away, to somewhere we could be free from our pretenses, if only for a few hours.

The night air was crisp and invigorating, making me feel more alive than ever. Grace closed her eyes, taking a breath of that cool air. I stopped, allowing her a few moments to take it all in. Thanks to the quiet around us, I could hear the familiar rush of water, the only constant, steady thing in this world of uncertainty around us.

"What is that?" Grace asked, looking up at me.

"A secret," I said, smirking. "Come on." After a short walk, we reached the undergrowth of trees. I pushed them aside for Grace, revealing the absolute paradise in front of us. The hot springs nestled in a tiny valley. At its centre, were the rivers from all around Valancia, converging into a grand waterfall. I looked at Grace, seeing her stunned reaction as she took it all in.

"Jamie and I found this place when we were kids, trying to run away from you," I said, almost embarrassed to admit it. "I think the land technically belongs to the royal family – most of the land around the city does. I've never seen anyone else here, though. I'm fairly certain we are alone." I grabbed her hand, as we ran down the hill too fast, almost stumbling at times. But it didn't matter because we had each other. If we fell, we'd go down together. With her at my side, I felt unstoppable, like I could take on anyone and do whatever I wanted in this world.

When we reached the water's edge, I let go of Grace's hand. Without thinking twice, I reached for the hem of my shirt. In one fluid motion, I pulled my shirt off, carelessly tossing it onto the ground.

"What are you doing?" Grace asked. She looked almost embarrassed, with her eyes glued to my chest. Under any other circumstances, I would have poked fun at her and cracked a joke. But not now, when I had more pressing things to worry about, like my personal hygiene. I focused my attention on taking off my shoes and my socks, feeling Grace's eyes on me the whole time.

"Come on, Gracie," I yelled, diving in. All at once, the water hit me, rushing around me, surrounding me. I finally felt free, the water washing away all my troubles. In this paradise, just kilometres from Valancia, I could finally be myself again, not the person the media had made me out to be.

I swam farther away from the water's edge, each stroke carrying me closer to freedom and salvation. I swam until my lungs were burning. When I finally popped up for air, I noticed Grace staring at me from the shore, like I had gone crazy.

"Come in!" I yelled.

"I –" Grace stopped mid-sentence with her mouth open. I could almost see the wheels turning in her mind, trying to figure out if this was a good idea.

I ducked my head under the water again, savouring this newfound feeling of deliverance. This could very well be one of my last moments of freedom and I wanted to enjoy every second of it. The only thing that would make it better would be Grace by my side, enjoying it with me.

I popped my head up, finding Grace just as confused and unsure as before.

"Gracie, come on!" I yelled, waving at her. Her expression suddenly changed, as she leaned down to take off her shoes. I smiled to myself as she took off her cardigan and dove into the water.

"We shouldn't be doing this," Grace said, when she reached me.

"I smell, Gracie. And I'm tired. And every part of me hurts from sleeping on the ground last night, so yes, I _should_ be doing this. I'm just glad you're doing it with me." I didn't know what it was that finally convinced her to join me but I was glad she decided to jump in, even if only for a moment.

We silently treaded water, looking up at the rising moon. It was a reminder that the night had just begun and was full of possibilities. Under the cover of darkness, I easily could have run away with Grace, to somewhere we could be safe. And in a sense, I had. Tonight, the hot springs were our own little haven. But unlike a foreign country, the safety it offered was only temporary. As soon as the sun rose, marking the start of a new day, I'd have to be on guard again, fearing for my life.

"The water's warm," Grace said. She dipped low. With her hair regally spread out around her, she looked like a mermaid, an aquatic princess. She was my princess, at least for this night, and I wasn't going to let her forget it.

"Yeah," I replied, treading water. I bobbed up and down, barely moving. "I think one of the hot springs must feed into it. It's like this all year long." Grace nodded, looking at me like she was holding onto my every word. Although I wanted her to trust me, she didn't have to put all her faith in me. It was almost unsettling. I wasn't that much of a saint, for her to put me on such a pedestal.

I looked over at Grace. She was still floating in the water, looking very divine and beautiful. But, instead of looking calm and cool, her face was creased with worry, her eyes staring blankly at the inky, night sky.

"Stop," I said, grabbing her hand and pulling her towards me.

"Stop what?"

"Stop thinking." I paddled closer to her. The concerned look on her face worried me. Here we were, in our own little Eden, where I wanted nothing more than for her to forget about everything that was weighing her down and enjoy this moment, for all it was worth. Suddenly, memories of times spent here with Jamie, or Tanner and Jordan, popped into my head. I had the perfect way of getting Grace to loosen up. I swam towards her, unable to keep the grin off my face as I imagined Grace finally letting her guard down and acting like a normal teenage girl, for once.

"I'm going to do it," I said, a warning tone to my voice.

"Do what?" Grace asked, completely oblivious to what was coming for her.

"I'm going to make you laugh."

"You're what?" She had a confused look on her face that only made me smile more.

"I'm going to make you laugh. It's been a long time since I've heard you laugh, Gracie, and it's time."

Just as she was about to reply, I sent a huge wave of water gushing over her head. It cascaded all around her, like it was washing her troubles away from her.

"You –" Grace started. However, I didn't know what choice expletive she was going to call me because I splashed her again, sending another wave of water over her. I kept splashing her, over and over, until she finally laughed. I couldn't help the grin that broke over my face as I listened to that melodious, carefree sound erupting from her. That was the Gracie I knew and loved, not the one who feared for her life and kept watching her back.

After a while, she finally decided to splash me back. However, I saw it coming and I wasn't going to let her win so easily. I lunged towards her, wrapping my arms around her and squeezing her from behind. She screamed, trying to squirm and fight her way out of my arms, which only made me smile as I pulled her right up against me. She was finally having fun without a care in the world, not worrying about all the business with the Society and my fugitive status. Just like how Yulia had afforded me a few days of bliss while I was in Moscow, I hoped I could pay the favour forward and give Grace a night of bliss in our own little paradise.

Eventually, Grace stopped squirming in my arms. Together, we bobbed up and down in the water, motionless and silent as we stared up at the dark, starry sky. Despite the quiet, I felt content and at peace, like everything was finally right with the world. Nothing else had to be said. This night was ours to keep, a memory no one could take from us.

I looked down at Grace. She had leaned her head against my shoulder, like she had finally found some inner peace. It took everything I had in me not to lean down and kiss the top of her head, or her lips. I held her tighter, not wanting this moment, this perfect ecstasy, to end. However, with the gravity of the situation we were in, I had to make sure she knew that she could trust me and that I would always be on her side. Even if I made it out alive and unscathed, the last thing I wanted was to lose her amidst this mess. If my fugitive status and looming arrest didn't get to me first, then losing her certainly would.

"The people who are behind this …" I started. However, Grace just kept gazing up at the stars, like she barely heard me. I had to get through to her though, to make sure she knew. "Someone put a bomb in a diplomatic car, Gracie. Someone killed a West Point cadet who was a personal guest of the United States ambassador. Whoever these people are, please tell me you're being careful." I squeezed her even tighter against me, fearing that if I let go, she would fall victim to whoever was out there, waiting to strike.

"I'm okay," Grace said, so quietly I barely heard her. "I'll be okay." I could only pray that would remain true, with the uncertainty of all that laid ahead of us.

* * *

**Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Next chapter will be up between July 29 and August 5. **

**I hope I did this chapter and the all-important waterfall/ hot springs scene justice, since it's such a key Gralexei moment in the books. Admittedly, this was a tough chapter to edit since I really wanted to make sure I got Alexei's feelings right. Thus, my apologies for getting it up later. I had a super busy weekend working on a research project I just got involved with and long days at shadowing this week. **

**I usually share music that inspires some key moments/ chapters on my Instagram. I thought I'd share the song that really shaped this chapter during the later edits and made it more romantic (especially for those of you who don't have Instagram). The new Kygo album (Golden Hours) had just come out and I really liked it. I was particularly obsessed with the song "Beautiful" featuring Sandro Cavazza (who has an incredible voice). After listening to it a few times, I got such strong Gralexei vibes from it and now, I can't imagine this chapter without that song coming to mind. Feel free to give it a listen and let me know what you think! **


	26. Chapter 26 - Traitor

**Hey guys, I hope you've had a good start to your August! I've finished up my 4 weeks of shadowing so now I have a couple weeks of chill time before school starts. Read on for a surprise visit and a tense conversation!**

* * *

**Gonna reply to reviews on the previous chapter, thanks so much to everyone who reviewed!**

**Guest: Aww thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed that chapter! **

**A New Look: Thank you, I'm glad you think I got everything right! I hope this chapter finds you well!**

* * *

**Disclaimer****: I do not own the Embassy Row series and all the characters (except for Tanner and Jordan and Alexei's Moscow friends, who are my own creations). They belong to Ally Carter. I am merely using her characters and plotline to create this fanfiction. I have no intention of profiting off the Embassy Row series in any way. This fanfiction is purely for entertainment purposes and would not exist without Ally Carter's wonderful works. **

**The events that happen in this fanfiction are not meant to be representative of real life. Any similarities to any real-life events or fictional works is purely coincidental and not intentional (with the exception of the original Embassy Row books by Ally Carter since this fanfiction is literally See How They Run but from Alexei's, not Grace's, perspective). The character's actions may not always reflect my own opinions or views. Based on what happens or is mentioned in this chapter (spoiler alert), I do not condone lying, murder, racism, or physical violence. **

**Content warning: mild-moderate  
****This fanfiction is rated T, for suggestive themes, language, and violence. This chapter contains mild language, physical violence, and mentions of murder and death. Please read at your own discretion.**

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Six: Traitor

I laid awake for hours that night, thinking of everything that happened with Grace at the hot springs. Getting to hold her in my arms. Staring up at the stars together. And, oh God, that laugh, that melodious sound that brought joy to my ears. It was the moment of bliss that I had finally been looking for in Adria.

I had had plenty of blissful moments with Yulia, in Moscow. But only a handful of them with Grace here, not that I was counting or anything. Sure, those moments with Yulia had been great. But it was hard to fully lose myself to them, not when I had another girl lingering in the back of my mind.

Last night with Grace was an entirely different story. For those few hours, I really had been able to pretend that it was just the two of us in the entire world and that nothing could possibly get in the way of us. Even now, in the morning, I was still riding the remainder of that high, thinking Grace and I were unstoppable.

In reality, there were many things getting in the way of a relationship between Grace and I. Like the tenuous circumstances we now found ourselves in and the role we had to play as embassy kids. Civil and polite but not overly friendly. And of course, there was her grandfather and my father, two high-power ambassadors, both of whom would strongly be opposed to a relationship uniting their respective embassies.

But then again, there had been many factors getting in the way of a relationship between Yulia and I. The distance, for one, and the fact that we barely had time to get to know each other. Adding in the feelings that I had for Grace, it was pretty much a recipe for disaster, a relationship doomed from the start.

Either way, it seemed like the world was against the idea of me being in a relationship, going way back to my fling with Lila. Adding Grace then Yulia to the mix only made things more complicated. In Moscow, it had been difficult to sort out my feelings for Grace and Yulia. But the more time I spent in Adria, the clearer things were becoming. Grace was the one that my heart wanted all along. I hadn't realized I'd have to spend time with another girl in order to gain certainty in those feelings. Hopefully, Grace would never have to know about Yulia. Maybe one day, when we were old and grey, I would tell Grace about Yulia and that unforgettable week in Moscow. But now? No way. I never wanted Grace to feel second-best, knowing there was another girl in the forefront of my mind. I realized just how awful that must have been for Yulia, knowing that she was completely devoted to me while I was still having thoughts about Grace in the background. I felt terrible for putting her through that, especially with her bad relationship history.

But now, relationships were the last thing on my mind. I had more pressing things to worry about, like my survival. If I wanted to make it out of this mess alive, then I'd have to unravel everything that had happened over the past few days. Not just Spence's murder but Grace's sketchy activity.

I replayed everything that had happened while I was with Grace in the ruins and the tunnels. In particular, my mind kept going back to those frantic texts. I knew Spence hadn't died on the island. I had made it back to Valancia with him and we parted ways on the street. He must have sent those texts before he died. But where had he ended up? How could he have gotten into so much trouble on his own? If I had stayed with him and saw him back to the American embassy, would he still be alive?

A stark realization came to me, that maybe, just maybe, Spence had wandered back into the Society vault on his own. After all, he had seemed fascinated with the place, too much so. Was it possible he had gone back there to find more treasure or to learn more about his grandmother, only for it to go horribly wrong?

Just like Spence, we had gone to the island to find answers but all we left with was more questions and uncertainty. What was the deal with the ruins? And why did they lead to the Society's vault? More than anything, I questioned Grace's role in all this. What was she really up to? Was she still pursuing the whole Scarred Man thing? Or was this something much bigger? Her and Lila were going to look through the Society vault and 'claim their birthright'. But what did that even mean? And what exactly had she been hoping to find? Grace hadn't seemed so sure of that herself, which meant things were even more uncertain for me. Either way, whatever she was doing had caught the attention of some pretty powerful people in Adria. I feared for her safety, hoping she wouldn't get caught. There were too many factors at play here and so much that could go wrong if we weren't careful. Eventually, this was bound to catch up to her.

Hell, this mess was already catching up to me. I was sleep-deprived and physically and mentally exhausted. My emotions were all over the place, as I grieved for Mikhail's death, feared for my life, and worried about my friends. I didn't want to be at the centre of all this. I just wanted to be living my life in peace, hanging out with my friends, finishing school, going to university, and getting a job in research. Maybe I'd even get a PhD. But not this. I'd do anything to get out of this mess and back to some semblance of a normal life.

When it became obvious that I wasn't going to get much more sleep, thanks to all the thoughts swirling around in my head, I decided it was time to get up and start my day. I put together a breakfast of cereal, a protein bar, a fruit cup, and water. When I finished, I ran my tongue over my teeth, thinking about how nice a toothbrush would be. I rinsed with mouthwash, which provided temporary relief. I still felt pretty refreshed from my dip in the hot springs last night but I knew it wouldn't be long before I started feeling disgusting again. Nonetheless, I quickly wiped myself down with a wet wipe and applied deodorant and dry shampoo, anything to help me feel more human.

After breakfast, I did a long HIIT workout. It was probably bad for my muscles, to tire them out further, but I was sure they could handle all those rapid-fire rounds, especially after all those years of gym sessions with my father. Besides, it wasn't like I had anything better to do, up here all alone with no Internet or social contact.

Once I finished my workout, I cleaned things up around the cave, before settling back down on the sleeping bag. I still had to figure out how to entertain myself for the rest of the day and how to strategically hide Lila's provisions. Even though it had only been a couple days, this was a life I would quickly get bored of. Yet, it was for the best, in order to stand any chance at making it out of this whole ordeal alive.

It was then that I heard the pounding footsteps getting louder and louder, like someone was approaching the cave. I immediately went on guard, wondering if I had finally been caught. I grabbed my backpack, ready to bolt at a moment's notice. However, when the footsteps slowed, I only got more confused. I stayed frozen in place, barely daring to breathe.

"Alexei, show your face, you coward! I know you're here!" That voice was the last voice I had expected to hear, the last person I ever expected to show up at this place. But now, they were here and I wasn't sure what to make of it.

"Don't make me force you out!" It would only get worse if I tried to hold them out. I didn't want them to force their way inside the cave and leave me trapped. I cautiously emerged from the cave, to find an angry Jamie. He didn't say anything as he stared me down.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, trying not to freak out.

"I came for information," Jamie said coldly, his arms crossed. Now that we were in close proximity, I was able to get a good look at him. He had really bulked up since starting at West Point and looked more American than ever, with his bulging biceps and close-cropped buzz cut.

"What do you want?" I stared back at him, trying my best to meet his gaze. Unfortunately, the shock of seeing him here, looking and acting totally different than I remembered, was more than enough to unnerve me.

"A little birdie told me you were here," Jamie said, a daring glint in his eye. Who did he talk to in Adria, who knew where I was hidden? Only one person came to mind. No, it couldn't be. But the more I thought about it, the more a cold, harsh reality washed over me. Jamie looked at me, an evil grin making its way onto his face, like he knew I had fallen into his trap.

"It looks like Gracie has been cozying up with you. I couldn't believe she had helped you out, risking her own life in the process. But then she gave me a handy tidbit and I realized she was on our side all along. I have to say, that's pretty crafty." Why had she told him? I didn't understand why she would help me, to the point of risking her life, only to go behind my back. After last night, I thought she was the only person I could trust on this entire planet. But I supposed not. Did she have a change of heart? Or had she really been on Spence's side this whole time and was planning to rat me out all along? Either way, I was never trusting her again. I should have known not to trust her in the first place. After all, the only person I could truly rely on was myself.

"You know what they say," Jamie said, "Keep your friends close but your enemies closer." Was that even possible? Everything at the hot springs last night seemed so genuine. Could she have faked it all, just to earn my trust before selling me out?

"I know Gracie. She wouldn't do that," I blurted out. But would she? Suddenly, I wasn't so sure anymore.

"Well, I didn't think you were capable of murder so that makes two of us," Jamie said, coldly, as he eyed me, like a predator watching its prey.

"For Christ's sake, I did not murder John Spencer. I may have gotten into a disagreement with him but we ended the night on good terms."

"How do I know you're not lying?"

"I would tell you to ask Spence but he's dead so I suppose you will just have to take my word for it," I said audaciously, like I didn't care about the repercussions. That was a bad move because Jamie instantly barreled into me, pinning me down on the ground. I landed hard, hitting my head and getting the wind knocked out of me.

"You _do not_ speak about my friend, a respected West Point cadet, like that," Jamie seethed, his face mere inches from mine.

"Respected because he was a fine cadet or because he is dead?" I shot back, losing control of myself.

"Listen, I don't get why you think this is so funny. Because of you, my best friend is now dead."

"Since when was Spence your best friend? I thought I was your best friend. What happened to bros for life?"

"You lost that privilege as soon as Spence's body washed ashore. You're no longer a friend but a cold-blooded killer." Jamie's eyes turned completely dark as his face hardened. I didn't know what was going on inside his head. Regardless, he wasn't the person I had grown up with anymore. A pang of sadness washed over me as I realized that carefree, fun Jamie was truly dead and gone.

"What happened to years of friendship? Years of memories and summers spent together?" I pleaded, my voice cracking with emotion. "What happened to us?"

"It doesn't matter now that you've killed my best friend," Jamie fumed, his voice low.

"Come on, you've known me for years. You know I wouldn't kill someone, especially not your 'best friend'," I replied, unable to keep the condescension out of my voice.

"I know all you Russians are capable of murder." Jamie had a hard look in his eyes. "It was only a matter of time before you turned out that way too."

"Oh, so it's about my ethnicity then, is it?" I snapped. I couldn't believe Jamie was going to argue about something as petty as this.

"I never should have become friends with you." Jamie sadly shook his head, like he was reflecting over years of regret and mistakes. "I'm American. You're Russian. We were always meant to be enemies, never friends. It only would have been a matter of time before things turned out the way they did."

"I would never in my life murder someone. You know that as well as I do. Why would it suddenly change now?"

"I don't know, maybe it's because you decided it would be a great idea to fall in love with my sister," Jamie deadpanned, glaring at me.

"Look, I didn't choose to fall in love with Grace, it just sort of … happened," I eked out. I didn't know how else to explain it. But Jamie wasn't buying it.

"If you just so 'happened' to fall in love with my sister, then how would you explain the fight? You sure looked like you were trying to stake your claim as the better man, to prove to Gracie how much better you were than Spence."

"What does Grace have to do with this?" I exclaimed, finding it harder to stay patient. This was getting ridiculous. I couldn't believe I was losing my friend over a misunderstanding, granted, a very deadly one, but still.

"Gracie has _everything_ to do with this," Jamie seethed. "If you hadn't fallen in love with Grace, then you never would have had to prove yourself to her, by fighting Spence and then killing him. If you hadn't fallen in love with Grace, then I never would have lost my best friend." So my initial motives behind fighting Spence were to protect Grace from any harm he had caused her. Never once during that fight had I thought about trying to one-up Spence and prove myself to him. But looking back, there had been elements of that, to prove I was a better man because I would never dare to hurt Grace the way he had. Had that fight been about Grace's safety or male pride? The more I thought about it, the more I realized how much of the fight was testosterone driven.

I looked up at Jamie. I almost expected him to say he was just kidding. But his face remained serious. He really was blaming me for everything. I couldn't help but shake my head, almost pitying him. "You changed, Jamie."

"Well, people can do that. And guess what, so did you," Jamie said, his dark, unforgiving eyes staring down at me. I changed? More like he was the one who had changed. I barely recognized him. He was no longer the fun-loving boy I used to hang out with but a cold-hearted soldier for his country. "After all, you're the cold-blooded solider now."

"Why don't you try taking a look in the mirror?" I fired back. That was it. Jamie lost it, pummeling me with a full-power punch. It hit like a ton of bricks, sending jolts of pain throughout my entire body. I wasn't going to give in so easily though. I retaliated, kneeing Jamie from underneath. Before I knew it, we were rolling around on the grass, sending hits from every direction. This was no longer the light-hearted play-fighting we used to engage in. This was war, a full-on brawl spurred by the death of a beloved friend and a false accusation of murder.

While the fight with Spence had been more physical, about who was the better and stronger man, this was much more than just physical. There was a deep emotional aspect to it too, something that hadn't been there in the fight with Spence. I felt the raw anger and sorrow radiating off Jamie as he came at me. West Point really had changed him. This wasn't just about a dead man. It was about so much more than that. It was about lost friendships and childhood innocence, of something that we could never get back. It was about growing up and realizing that some people changed for the worse. Most of all, it was about betrayal and misunderstanding, of a broken trust that could never be salvaged again. Technically, at one point, both Spence and I had been considered Jamie's best friend. And now, Jamie had lost both of us, in one form or another. I didn't know what was more tragic about that, the fact that Jamie had lost his two closest friends in the span of a few days or that he had changed enough to let it happen.

After a while, we reached a stalemate, both of us sweating and out of breath. Once again, Jamie had me pinned down, just like before.

"This isn't working," Jamie said, panting, the sweat dripping down his forehead. "But you made my life a living hell so now I need to return the favour." What else could he possibly do, to make my life even worse than it already was? I didn't have a lot going for me right now, with my fugitive status and lack of resources.

Jamie pushed himself off me and stood up. He whipped out his phone and started dialing. After a moment, he spoke. "Hello, I'm calling about a fugitive. I've got him here, just three kilometres north of Valancia, in a cave hidden within the hills." What the hell?! Was he seriously going to betray me just like that, after years of friendship? Either way, I knew things weren't going to end well. I booked it right then and there, without bothering to grab my emergency backpack of supplies. It was a stupid move on my part but at the moment, my immediate safety was more important.

"Yes, he's the one – hey, where are you going?" Jamie shouted. I only dared one quick glance behind me before continuing on. I didn't want to get arrested, not when the stakes were so much higher now. I needed answers. And there was only one person I could get them from.

I sprinted as fast as possible, fuelled by the adrenaline of the dire situation. I had no idea what was in store for me now. There was the possibility that I was very screwed and had made it worse by taking off. But that was something for me to worry about later. All I needed to focus on was getting answers, from the one person I thought I could trust.

I made it to my destination in record time. Even though my heart was pounding like never before, I pushed myself harder, to get a running start onto the wall. I flew through the air, securing a grip halfway up. I climbed up as fast as I could, despite every muscle in my body crying out for mercy. When I reached the top, I quickly clambered down the path between the American and Russian embassies. For a second, I found myself wondering what would happen if my father saw me. Would he welcome me back to the embassy with open arms? Or would he cast me aside without a second glance? Something told me he would do the latter.

I sprinted across the mercifully clear back quad as fast as I could, pushing through the pain in my burning muscles. I took the back stairs two at a time, flying over them. I made my way into Grace's room, quietly opening and closing the door. She looked like she was asleep, or maybe she was just faking. Even though she looked so innocent and sweet, I knew there was so much more to her than that. She was far from innocent and she had never been the sweet type. I just didn't think she'd be the betrayal type either until today.

I crept over to her bed. I placed one knee on the bed, feeling the mattress dip under my weight. She tensed up. She was definitely awake and it wouldn't be long before the entirety of the American embassy was alerted to my presence. I quickly pressed my hand against her mouth, anticipating her next move.

"Wake up, you little traitor."

* * *

**Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Next chapter will be up between August 14 and August 21. **

**Welp, looks like I'm leaving it on a cliffhanger ending, of sorts. What do you think happens next? **


	27. Chapter 27 - Coming Clean

**Hey guys, I hope you've all been doing well! Read on to find out how the Gralexei tell-all goes!**

* * *

**Gonna reply to reviews on the previous chapter, thanks so much to everyone who reviewed!**

**A New Look: Thank you, I'm glad you think I got Alexei's emotions right! It was definitely hard to get into his head for that and figure out how he'd be feeling. I wasn't sure how much Jamie would have changed but it was fun to explore his relationship with Alexei, which we'll see more of in future chapters. **

**Guest: Thank you! Alexei and Jamie definitely have a complex friendship, which will be further explored in the chapter where Jamie gets stabbed. Stay tuned! **

**Lililithia: Lol fair enough :P Stay tuned to find out how that all plays out!**

**Yashi: Thank you, I hope this chapter finds you well! I'm glad you enjoyed the hot springs/ waterfall scene since that was a fun one to write!**

* * *

**Disclaimer****: I do not own the Embassy Row series and all the characters (except for Tanner and Jordan and Alexei's Moscow friends (Roman, Eugene, Josef, and Yulia), who are my own creations). They belong to Ally Carter. I am merely using her characters and plotline to create this fanfiction. I have no intention of profiting off the Embassy Row series in any way. This fanfiction is purely for entertainment purposes and would not exist without Ally Carter's wonderful works. **

**The events that happen in this fanfiction are not meant to be representative of real life. Any similarities to any real-life events or fictional works is purely coincidental and not intentional (with the exception of the original Embassy Row books by Ally Carter since this fanfiction is literally See How They Run but from Alexei's, not Grace's, perspective). The character's actions may not always reflect my own opinions or views. Based on what is mentioned or happens in this chapter (spoiler alert), I do not condone murder, lying, treason, or theft. **

**Content warning: mild  
****This fanfiction is rated T, for suggestive themes, language, and violence. This chapter contains mild language and mentions of murder, treason, and theft. Please read at your own discretion.**

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Coming Clean

Grace properly woke up, coming to full consciousness as her eyes flew open. I bore my gaze into her brown eyes, eyes that used to be beautiful but were now full of guilt and deceit. "We need to talk."

She evenly met my eyes, not looking away. I couldn't tell what she was thinking as she stared at me. Did she know what I wanted? Or were we going to keep playing a game of pretend? Pretending to trust the other, pretending to be allies, pretending to be innocent when we were really hiding things from each other this whole time. I didn't know what I would do if I found out she had been playing me all along. I had given everything of myself to Grace, the girl that I truly loved. I had put my trust in her and given her my entire being. And what did she do with it? She betrayed my trust and went behind my back, taking everything of me and throwing it away like it was worth nothing to her. Was her generosity even worth anything? Or was it all an elaborate ploy to gain my trust so she could learn my secrets then give them away behind my back? Either way, she wasn't the girl that I thought I knew and I felt sick with myself for so foolishly falling for her.

Her breathing hitched. I clamped my hand tighter against her mouth, almost daring her to speak out against me. Grace was still looking at me, not breaking eye contact. Were we just going to keep staring at each other? Or were we actually going to get some answers?

"If I take my hand away, are you going to scream?" I asked. Grace slowly shook her head. However, I knew she was a screamer and that it wouldn't take long for her grandfather and Ms. Chancellor to come running to her aid, hence, the precautionary measures. "Don't lie to me, Gracie."

Grace wrestled out from under my grip, rolling to the other side of the bed. "You're telling _me_ not to lie to _you_?!" She was one to talk. As if she hadn't already done enough of that. How easy would it be for her to slip in yet another lie? Or to say sweet things to gain my trust, only to go behind my back? Regardless, I wouldn't let myself fall for any of her lies again.

"You said you would not scream."

"Oh, I can show you screaming …" I immediately pushed her back onto her bed, pinning her down with my hands and knees. There was no way I was going to let her scream, as it'd instantly make both our lives a living hell.

"You might want to lower your voice if you don't want your grandfather and a whole host of your American marines to find a killer in your bedroom."

"Maybe that's exactly what I want."

"Once upon a time that would have meant we'd have to marry, you know," I said, with a winning grin. "It would have been the only honourable thing to do."

"Don't!"

"Don't what?"

"Don't flirt with me. Don't tease me. Don't lie to me." Oh, how I'd love to do all three to her, maybe all at once. There were a million things I could say that would fit the bill. But that was beside the point. First and foremost, I needed to get her talking.

"You've been busy, Gracie."

"You can't call me that anymore," Grace said matter-of-factly. "I revoke the privilege." Since when had she ever given me the privilege to do that? I always did it for the hell of it, whether she wanted me to or not. The fact that I was a fugitive and that she had betrayed me wasn't going to change that.

"Jamie came to see me."

"Did he bring the police with him?" Was that a hint of concern in her voice? Or was she just disappointed that the police hadn't come to arrest me right away? I glared at her, seriously disappointed that had been her first thought. It was almost like she wanted me to be arrested, like she had been siding with her country this whole time. I had been very wrong to put my trust in her.

"I didn't wait around to find out." This wasn't going anywhere and Grace was being extraordinarily difficult, even more so than usual. I took a good hard look at her. She looked like she had calmed down and wasn't going to try anything funny, like scream and attract the attention of all the marines in the embassy. Hopefully, I'd be able to have a civil conversation with her.

Taking one last look at her, I released her, getting off the bed. I moved over to the window, drawing the curtains. The last thing I wanted was for some passerby to see me in the window and call the police, turning this into a direr situation. This was something we'd have to sort out ourselves, without any outside influences.

"Why are you here, Alexei?"

"Isn't it obvious? I'm a dangerous murderer and there is a nationwide manhunt. I have more Americans to kill." Although I intended for that to be sarcastic, I realized there was some truth to those words. How much longer would I have before the American embassy started talking again? Surely, Ambassador Vincent had to know from Jamie by now that I was still out there and very much alive. It would be a nightmare to shut them all up. The more the Americans talked, the worse this mess would get and the closer they'd get to uncovering the truth. That I had come back to the mainland with Spence. That Spence hadn't died on the island. That we were just mere pawns in a much larger game, with little control over our destiny.

"Why are you _here_?" Grace shouted. I internally facepalmed. What had I just told her about screaming? Clearly, my subtle sarcasm had been lost on her. "If you can break into the US, you can break into Russia. You'd be safer there. Why are you in my room?" God, did she really not understand why I had to see her?

"Because you and I have unfinished business." That was putting it nicely. At this point, I wasn't sure if our friendship, or whatever we had, could go back to what had been. Because of her, everything that I loved had become everything that I lost. I was nothing, without her. If she could tear my life apart, then surely, I could do the same to her.

I walked into the bathroom, opening random drawers and cabinets. I found a pack of toothbrushes, something that would be very useful.

"This is mine now," I stated, grabbing a toothbrush from the pack, figuring it wouldn't be missed. Considering she had taken everything away from me, I could take something of hers without remorse. I grabbed Grace's toothpaste from beside the sink, squeezing a good-sized glob on the toothbrush. I started brushing my teeth, finally feeling a bit more human.

Through the mirror, I peeked around her room. I spotted a men's t-shirt lying on top of the dresser, something that would be a great addition to my now meager wardrobe. I walked out of the bathroom, grabbing the shirt.

"This, too!" I told her, effectively claiming the shirt as mine. When I imagined moving in with her, I never thought it would turn out like this. I imagined we'd be much more civilized but here I was, stealing her belongings like a wild animal. Then again, that wasn't far from the truth, at least in the public's eye. Might as well start living up to it.

"Okay," Grace said, sounding surprisingly unfazed. As I walked into the bathroom again, she sat down on the edge of the bed, silently watching me. If she was scared, then she didn't show it. I spat out the toothpaste, not bothering to rinse my mouth, and ripped off my stained and sweaty shirt. I grabbed a small washcloth from the nearby towel rack and wetted it under the sink, quickly rubbing it over my body. Despite the wet wipe I had used this morning, I was sweaty again, thanks to the fight with Jamie. I pulled on my newly claimed t-shirt, surprised to find it fit me perfectly. I wondered for a second if it was Jamie's. How ironic would that be, considering I had wanted to shed his blood mere hours ago, yet, was now wearing his clothes as if my life depended on it.

I leaned over the sink, splashing water on my face. I didn't care that it was cold; it was refreshing and served as a good wake-up call. When I looked up again, the water still dripping from my face, my eyes met Grace's in the mirror. It was like the water had washed away all the pretenses and airs we had put on, leaving our true selves to be reflected back. She didn't look like a girl who had been betraying me behind my back. There wasn't any fear or tension in her face. All I saw was a lost and confused girl.

"You don't look scared," I commented. I mean, here I was, a supposed, wanted killer in her bedroom and she was acting like it was an everyday occurrence. If she had wanted me gone, then surely, she would have already gone to her grandfather while I had been puttering around in her bathroom, or at least screamed to attract his attention.

"I'm not." I couldn't tell if she was lying. Maybe she was fearing for her life but was acting extremely well-composed. Maybe if I was an actual threat, she'd be screaming her head off. Then again, she had threatened to do just that, mere minutes ago. Or maybe, she just didn't want to be scared of me.

"I thought you believed I was a killer."

"And I thought you got a ride home with some kids you didn't know and went straight back to Russia. We've both been disappointed." I huffed, slowly turning away from her. Of all the things to be mad at me about, she chose that? What about the fact that this mess had fractured all hope of the American and Russian embassies ever having a civil relationship or of me and Jamie regaining our friendship? Or that I was endangering her life and those of our friends, by choosing to stay in Adria? Or that because of everything that had happened over the past few days, the trust between us had become increasingly tenuous until it finally shattered? I was starting to think that I had run off to Russia on my own, I could have escaped everything and started over a lot easier.

I leaned against the sink, carefully observing Grace. I thought I knew everything about her but now, I was beginning to realize I had only just scratched the surface. I had walked into the embassy with a plan but unsurprisingly, Grace had derailed it within seconds. Yet, despite everything she had done, I couldn't stay mad at her. Besides, if she truly wanted me dead or arrested, wouldn't she have already called out for Jamie or her grandfather? I had no way of knowing if law enforcement were on their way. For all I knew, they could be silently waiting outside Grace's bedroom for the perfect time to strike and arrest me. But in the meantime, how else could I possibly make her see reason and understand why I had to come talk to her? How could I attempt to regain her trust?

"Jamie probably has shaving stuff," Grace said. I just shook my head. Although I usually hated how I looked unshaven, that was the least of my issues right now.

"You're not running to Big Brother. Not this time, Gracie. This time, you will sit right there. And I'm going to tell you a story." Jamie wasn't going to do her dirty work anymore. She wasn't going to hide behind the higher powers of the American embassy anymore. She was going to give me answers, whether she wanted to or not. I needed to hear her truth from her, to find out her true intentions, without the influence of her brother or her grandfather.

But if I wanted her to start trusting me again and to spill her secrets, then I knew I'd have to spill some of my own secrets. After all, it was unfair to ask her to tell me everything when she barely knew me and the dark secrets I was hiding. Maybe then, she'd finally realize my true intentions, and see me for who I really was, not the image of me that Jamie or her grandfather had put in her head.

I stayed put, crossing my arms, as I looked at her. She stared back at me, a neutral expression on her face. I knew I could keep drawing this out, to ensure she'd do what I thought she would. Or I could dive in, hoping to fulfill some of my original intentions. Taking a deep breath, I bit the bullet.

"My mother was Adrian." That was the one thing we had in common, mothers who were both heavily involved in Adrian life, too much so, to the point of facing dire consequences. And perhaps, that was why we had further bonded this summer, seeking out vulnerabilities in each other from having lost a parent at a young age.

At first, it was almost like she didn't hear me. Then, the realization hit and her facial expression changed, to a mix of surprise and bewilderment. "I didn't know that."

It wasn't exactly something I made public knowledge. "There is no reason you should know. I doubt you ever saw her. She has not been seen by anyone in ten years. Not since she went missing."

"Your mother's missing?" I looked away, unable to face that reality myself. Not since that phone call I had overheard a few days ago, when everything I thought I knew about my mother suddenly morphed, turning the entire situation into even more of a nightmare. But now was not the time to wallow in my own pain and sorrows about my mother. I had one shot to regain Grace's trust and I had to keep going.

"I know, Gracie. I've always known. About the Society."

"Your mother was a member?" I nodded. She was pretty astute, for figuring that out so quickly. Or maybe she had known something about that all along.

"She … and her friends. I used to see them together, meeting in secret, talking in whispers. I watched them obsess over things that disappeared hundreds of years ago. It is rather ironic, is it not? That now she is the thing that is missing?" Despite the years that had passed since then, to this day, those would remain some of my most vivid memories.

"Who exactly were her friends?" Grace asked. Although she appeared innocent, her eyes gave everything away. She definitely knew this whole time, about our mothers and their involvement in the Society. It looked like that was yet another thing she had been lying about.

"Yes," I replied, nodding. "Your mother was one of them. How do you think Jamie and I became so close? The two of us were pushed together practically in the cradle, told to go play while the three of them did whatever it is they would do." I reached into my pocket, pulling out my wallet and tossing it towards Grace. "Look." She effortlessly caught it, opening it. I knew what she would find, tucked inside one of the credit card slots. An old photo of three girls, at the time, not much older than we were, standing on top of the wall, the blue sea behind them. Three girls who used to be the best of friends, only to meet vastly different fates. One was dead, another was missing and most likely incarcerated, and the third was sitting atop a throne.

"My mother carried that photo with her," I said. "Almost always." Just like I did, my mother carried that photo in her wallet. As a child, I always stared with fascination at it when she took out her wallet to buy me something when we were out. After she had gone missing, Mikhail had given it to me. My father had been cleaning out my mother's belongings and Mikhail saved that picture from being thrown out. He had given it to me, explaining its significance and what he knew about the three women in the picture. I had only been seven at the time and didn't really understand. But as I got older, I started to understand more and more, about who those women were. Now, it served as a harsh reminder of who my mother used to be and what she was to me now. Despite everything that she had done and all the ways she had wronged me, there was still a small part of me that longed for her, wishing to know the truth, of why she had left and what she had really done.

"Alexei …" Grace said, starting to stand, as if to reach out and comfort me. I gave her a death glare, to stop the sympathy before it came out of her mouth. I didn't need anyone's sympathy, least of all hers, especially after everything she had done to betray me.

"What happened the night Spence died?" Grace asked, settling back on her bed. The conversation about my mother was now over and it looked like we had finally gotten to the real stuff, the reason I had sought her out in the first place.

"We fought," I replied, shrugging. "And I saw the medallion around his neck and knew it had to do with the Society, so when he went to search the ruins, I followed him. I wasn't going to stay behind just because I did not care for the company."

"So you came back via the tunnel? With Spence?"

"Yes." I didn't want to admit it but it was the cold, hard truth.

"The last time I saw the two of you, you were trying to claw each other's eyes out."

"The enemy of my enemy is my friend. I did not kill John Spencer." I crossed my arms, flicking my gaze down. I didn't realize I'd have to say it point-blank. But that was the truth. I could only hope that Grace would choose to believe me.

"Did you see anyone when you were down in the Society?"

"No."

"Did anyone see _you_?"

"I cannot be sure," I said, shaking my head. At the time, making it out alive had been my greatest concern. Never once during that night did it dawn on me to be more aware of my surroundings. Looking back, it could have been very easy for someone to follow Spence and I through the Society vault and the tunnels.

"Was anyone on the street with you? Were you being followed?"

"No!" I pushed away from the sink, bolting towards Grace. Couldn't she tell that I was being completely honest with her? What else did I have to do to make her see that? "I don't know who killed him. I wish I did. I wish I had been there because then … It was late, but he was still on American time and wasn't tired. He wanted to look around the city more, and I wanted to come home, so I left him. I did not see him again until the next morning. With you." The words had spilled out before I could stop them, as I desperately fought to make her see my truth.

Grace just sat in silence, saying nothing as she took in my words. I stared at her, wondering what was going on inside her head. Was she considering everything I had said to her? Or she was just writing me off, choosing instead to believe her grandfather and her brother?

"Say something," I begged, the thick, tense silence becoming too much to bear. I just wanted a tiny peek inside that head of hers, to know what she really thought. I needed to know if I had gotten through to her, if I had finally regained her trust. Otherwise, my journey here would have been pointless.

"Stay here."

"I can't." Was she nuts? Her grandfather would actually lose his mind and probably have a heart attack if he saw me here.

"You're the most wanted man in Adria. This is the US embassy. Can you think of someplace they are _less_ likely to look for you? Stay here. In this room. I'll be back." Grace grabbed her sweater, totally oblivious to the storm in my head as she started walking towards the door. I couldn't stop myself from reaching out, gently taking both her arms and pulling her closer.

"It's not safe out there," I said, leaning towards Grace's ear. Did she really think she could waltz out there on her own, with protesters filling the streets and unknown forces targeting our every move? How could she leave me trapped here while she ventured into a dangerous world? Yet, this was Grace and I knew her mind had already been made up. She was leaving, I was staying, and nothing was to change that.

"Yeah, well …" Grace replied, looking up at me. "Maybe it's not safe in here either."

* * *

**Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! This was a difficult chapter to edit, since it was hard to get into Alexei's head and figure out what he'd be thinking and feeling throughout this conversation. I hope I did this chapter justice, since it is a critical moment for defining Gralexei's friendship. **

**Next chapter will be up between Sept. 4 and Sept. 14. I started school this week, with our four-week intro to the hospital unit, which is pretty chill but busy. This is a really important school year for me (since it's my important clinical year) but there'll be more on that in the author's note of the next chapter. Since my school schedule is going to be all over the place this year, I'm not exactly sure when I'll be busier and when I'll be able to get the last few chapters up. After this chapter, this will be four more chapters of On the Run left! So we're getting close to the end.**

**So it seems like Alexei is trapped in Grace's bedroom in the American embassy… or is he? Stay tuned to find out what happens next! **


	28. Chapter 28 - Hacking It

**Hey guys, I hope you've had a good September so far and that your back to school has gone well! Here's a long chapter for all of you; read on to find out how Alexei makes his way to the Night of a Thousand Amelias!**

* * *

**Gonna reply to reviews on the previous chapter, thanks so much to everyone who reviewed! It's amazing to hear that you've all been loving this fanfic and these reviews honestly make my day whenever I see them in my emails :) **

**A New Look: Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed this chapter! That was definitely a key chapter for drama and defining Gralexei's relationship and trust in each other.**

**Guest: I'm glad to hear you've been enjoying my fanfiction throughout your quarantine, although it sounds like things have been a bit tough lately. I hope the COVID-19 situation gets better for you. **

**Tessa: Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed this chapter and the Gralexei moments! I will definitely be doing 'Take the Key and Lock Her Up' in Alexei's perspective, I have about 9 or 10 more chapters to write. I've touched on that in my end of chapter author's note :)**

**Guest: Thank you, I'm glad you've been enjoying my stories! I will still be posting the rest of this story and Take the Key and Lock Her Up in Alexei's POV, although there may be longer waits for the remaining chapters (which I've discussed in my end of chapter author's note). Although I'm in school for something totally unrelated to writing, I would love to publish my own books one day, featuring all the things that are important to me (POC characters in their 20's who are medical students). **

**Guest: Thank you, I'm glad you think I've been doing a great job with these stories! I try to pay close attention to detail and really get inside the character's heads, to match the original books as best as I can. Although I'm not sure how much free time I'll have to write now and moving into the future, I would love to publish my own books one day, featuring all the things that are important to me (POC characters in their 20's who are medical students).**

* * *

**Disclaimer****: I do not own the Embassy Row series and all the characters (except for Tanner and Jordan and Alexei's Moscow friends, who are my own creations). They belong to Ally Carter. I am merely using her characters and plotline to create this fanfiction. I have no intention of profiting off the Embassy Row series in any way. This fanfiction is purely for entertainment purposes and would not exist without Ally Carter's wonderful works. **

**The events that happen in this fanfiction are not meant to be representative of real life. Any similarities to any real-life events or fictional works is purely coincidental and not intentional (with the exception of the original Embassy Row books by Ally Carter since this fanfiction is literally See How They Run but from Alexei's, not Grace's, perspective). The character's actions may not always reflect my own opinions or views. Based on what happens in this chapter (spoiler alert), I do not condone data theft or breaking and entering. **

**Content warning: mild  
****This fanfiction is rated T, for suggestive themes, language, and violence. This chapter contains moderate language, somewhat crude banter, and mentions of murder and suicide. Please read at your own discretion.**

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Eight: Hacking It

Grace walked off without another word, closing the door behind her. Was she really just going to leave me here, while she went off to do God knows what? If my safety wasn't such a concern, then I would have followed her. But there was no way I could have walked out the door, not without causing a scene and facing a most certain death. How ironic was it, that Grace had been the trapped one. And now here I was, stuck in her bedroom until further notice. Yet, Grace had been able to save herself, like the strong, independent woman that she was. Surely, I could do the same.

My eyes darted around the room, trying to come up with a reasonable escape plan. My gaze landed on her window. Through the drawn curtains, I made out a vague outline of a tree. I pulled the curtain back ever so slightly, just enough to peek out of it but to keep me hidden from public view. On closer inspection, the tree was close enough to the window for me to climb out onto and the trunk looked sturdy. However, the branches nearest to the window looked too flimsy to support my weight. One of them had a questionable crack through it. Although the tree was an option, it didn't seem like a reliable one.

I turned, my eyes landing on her closet. I could tie her clothes or bedsheets together into a rope, using it to climb out her window and down the side of the embassy. Although it may have been feasible, surely, a mysterious figure rappelling down the American embassy would trigger alarm bells. Maybe Grace had a rope ladder hidden in her room somewhere. Given how practical she was, that wouldn't have surprised me.

It soon dawned on me that my escape plans were seriously flawed. Even if I did manage to get out of the American embassy via Grace's bedroom window, what would I do after that? The cave was no longer safe. Thanks to Jamie's phone call, the police probably had it swarmed, waiting for any sign of me. If I went back there, I would be shipped off to prison without further questioning. That was not a fate I wanted.

I racked my brain, trying to think of places I could head to if I made it out of here. I was no longer welcome at the Russian embassy. My father was the last person I wanted to see and I knew he'd make sure I'd regret stepping foot in the embassy. Besides, the embassy didn't feel like home to me anymore, not without Mikhail there. The tunnels were out of the public eye, so I'd get some privacy there. However, they were far from safe, thanks to all the dangerous and powerful people who held secret meetings there. I could go to the Iranian embassy, the squad favourite for secret meetings. It was relatively private and somewhat hospitable. It would make do for a temporary accommodation, until I could figure out my next steps. The only problem was, how was I going to tell everyone what had happened?

My eyes flicked over to Grace's desk, alighting on her open laptop. Bingo. I sat down at her desk, turning on her laptop. It flickered to life, displaying her lock screen. I almost burst out laughing when it prompted me for a number PIN, instead of a full-out password. For someone who was really paranoid about her personal safety, she sure didn't seem to be concerned about her device safety. I tried entering her birthday as the PIN. No success. I tried Jamie's birthday. Still nothing. Feeling cheeky, I entered my birthday. When the laptop let me in, displaying her desktop, I stared at it in shock, my mouth dropping open. I had no idea what that said about her feelings for me, just knowing that she had to think about me every time she unlocked her laptop.

However, I didn't have time to dwell on that. For all I knew, Grace could be at the police station, giving away information on my location. I needed to get out of here before she came back, potentially with the police in tow. Who else could I trust? If Mikhail was still alive, he would have been my first contact. I supposed I could have contacted Megan, Noah, and Rosie. They weren't likely to rat me out. However, they had already done so much for me, helping me during those first crucial hours. I didn't want to feel even more indebted to them. Besides, Grace could have been meeting up with them right now, trying to convince them I actually had murdered Spence. Even though the three of them were on my side, at least for the time being, there was no guarantee they'd check their messages. No matter what course of action I took, I would be dependent on the receiver of my messages, unable to do anything until they replied. The thought of sitting here, with everything out of my control, unnerved me. I didn't want to waste any more time. I wanted to get out of here as soon as possible.

There were two more people I could trust, people who I knew would see my messages right away. Although they had been lacking lately, I was really hoping they could pull through this time, especially since my life depended on it.

Taking a deep breath, I got to work, using a VPN, an incognito browser, and a Ten Minute Mail account to hide my Internet activity and create a fake Facebook account under a name that I knew the recipients of my message would recognize.

"_hey its alexei. I need u 2 meet me in the Iranian embassy" _Within seconds, my message was read by the intended recipients.

"_omg bro ur alive!"_ Tanner messaged.

"_new phone who dis? Jk nice 2 hear from u_" Jordan messaged, not a moment after. If it was one thing I could count on Tanner and Jordan for, it was checking social media messages.

"_how did u get internet? Arent u in the middle of nowhere?_" Tanner asked.

"_long story. Im in the US embassy and I need out_"

"_booty call gone wrong?_" Jordan messaged.

"_as if -_- she snitched and now I need somewhere 2 hide out_" I messaged.

"_damn what did she do?_" Tanner asked.

"_she told Jamie where I was. Jamie found me, we fought, and he tried 2 turn me in. I went 2 get answers from Grace_" I messaged, summing up everything that had happened this morning.

"_so you and her fought then had makeup sex?_" Jordan asked. I internally facepalmed.

"_Christ no. I spent a good hour trying 2 convince her I didnt kill Spence and regain her trust_" I replied.

"_did it work?_" Tanner asked.

"_idk. She just ran off and told me 2 stay in the US embassy_"

"_damn if that aint whipped, then idk what is_" Tanner sent, with a laughing with tears emoji. I sent the middle finger emoji.

"_so u decided to steal her internet_" Jordan messaged.

"_look, idk what shes doing rn or if I can even trust her. She could be turning me in 4 all I know. I need 2 get out and u guys are going 2 help me_" I messaged, starting to get desperate.

"_4 sure. What do u need?_" Tanner asked.

"_somewhere 2 hide out 4 the time being. I was thinking Iranian embassy. I need u guys 2 meet me there 2 figure out my next steps_" I messaged, hoping they'd cooperate."

"_isnt that place totally sketch and abandoned?_" Jordan asked.

"_somewhat. But Grace and co. like to meet there. It does its job_" I replied.

"_k then whatever you say. Works 4 me" _Jordan messaged, with a shrugging emoji.

"_how long will that take? Night of 1000 Amelias is 2nite and I need time 2 get ready_" Tanner replied. I had been so caught up in my own situation that I had completely forgotten about the Festival of the Fortnight. A quick mental count of the days told me that tonight was indeed the Night of a Thousand Amelias, arguably one of the creepiest events in the entirety of the festival.

"_fine, Ill only take an hour but I still need u 2 meet me today, hopefully soon. I need 2 gtfo b4 grace comes back_" I messaged, hoping they wouldn't start making excuses.

"_I get off work in an hour but after that I'm free_" Jordan messaged. I was thankful that he was coming through to help me, no questions asked.

"_No ur not. Ur coming with me 2 Night of 1000 Amelias_" Tanner argued.

"_Ffs no, way too creepy_" Jordan replied.

"_omg Alexei u should come with us!_" Tanner messaged.

"_no way. Thats like asking 4 a death sentence_" I replied. No way in hell was I going out on one of the most dangerous nights of the year in Adria. It was even more dangerous than Halloween, thanks to all the riots that took place.

"_think about it tho. Its honestly so perfect. All the guys will be wearing masks. No one will expect u 2 be there and no one will know who u are cuz of the mask_" Tanner texted.

"_idk, its still risky__. Besides where am I even going 2 get a mask?_" I replied. I was pretty sure Grace didn't have spare party masks lying around her room.

"_Dont worry I got u. Both of u actually_" Tanner messaged. I should have known he was prepared and would do everything in his power to convince Jordan and I to go.

"_Idk, someone could pull my mask off_" I replied. Those riots could get pretty crazy and the last thing I wanted was for some drunk partygoer to uncover my identity.

"_J and I will have u surrounded. We got u_" Tanner messaged.

"_never said I was going but okay. I better not regret this_" Jordan messaged, with a shrugging emoji.

"_U wont. That goes 4 u too Alexei_" Tanner messaged.

"_fine_" I replied, letting out a dissatisfied grunt. I didn't even see the point in going, especially since I'd have no where to stay after. Besides, I had a feeling that the Night of a Thousand Amelias could end very badly.

"_U guys still cool 2 meet me in the Iranian embassy?_" I messaged, trying to steer us back to the whole reason I had contacted them in the first place.

"_Maybe someplace less dingy? Theres no way I can do my hair there_" Tanner replied. I rolled my eyes.

"_why dont u guys crash at my place 2nite? My moms working night shift and wont be home til tmrrw. Tanner u can get ready there and Alexei we can talk about whatever u need_" Jordan messaged.

"_works 4 me_" Tanner replied, with the thumbs-up emoji.

"_I dont think thats a good idea. I dont want 2 put u in danger_" I messaged. The more people who got involved, the worse this could turn out, not just for me but for everyone I cared about. Maybe I shouldn't have messaged Tanner and Jordan in the first place.

"_My neighbourhood will be deserted. The police are all going 2 be at Night of 1000 Amelias. No one will be looking 4 u_" Jordan messaged. Although he lived in the lower-income part of Valancia, where there was often a noticeable police presence, he did make a good point about the police being at the palace to control any riots.

"_true but the 2 of u are still innocent. The second I go 2 ur place, u guys could be charged with aiding a fugitive_" I replied.

"_bro, we got u, swear on my life. Itll be fine and even then, idc if I get charged, itll be worth it. Bros 4 life, if ur going down, then im coming with u_" Jordan messaged. I was glad to have his unwavering support.

"_okay_" I replied, finally giving in.

"_meet me at my place in an hour and a half. Alexei, all u have 2 do is wear a hoodie with the hood up and a baseball cap and no one will think twice_" Jordan messaged.

"_ok see u guys then. Make sure u delete this chat, ill be deleting this account_" I messaged.

"_damn, it's a shame this Big Bad Russian account isn't going 2 be around much longer_" Tanner messaged, with a laughing with tears emoji. I knew they would have gotten a kick out of the name I had used to make this temporary Facebook account.

"_kk sounds good. See u in a bit bro!_" Jordan messaged. I waited a few moments for Tanner and Jordan to get off Facebook. I then deleted the messages and the account and double-checked that my browsing history wasn't recorded. Grace's recent browsing history was there though. I didn't dare scroll through it, not wanting to know what sites she perused in her spare time. Once again, I found it extremely ironic how she was really paranoid about her personal safety but didn't seem to care about her device and Internet safety. I disabled and deleted the VPN then turned off Grace's laptop, hoping she wouldn't notice it had been used.

An hour later, I was ready to meet Tanner and Jordan. After digging around in Grace's drawers, I found a few hoodies and baseball caps that looked like they belonged to Jamie. Oddly enough, Grace still wasn't back yet. What the hell was she doing? Whatever it was, I had to leave before she came back.

Pulling the hood over my head and the baseball cap low over my face, I headed out of Grace's room, closing the door behind me. I made my way towards the back stairwell. Thanks to the identical layouts between the embassies, it almost felt like I was back at the Russian embassy, sneaking out to a party or to deal with a crisis. For a second, it made me miss my old life and how easy I had it.

Just as I was about to head down the stairs, I heard footsteps. A second later, Ambassador Vincent's voice rang out. "Where's Grace? It's no night for her to be out alone." It seemed like her absence had already been noticed. Maybe she really was up to something sketchy.

"I'll check her bedroom." I froze at the sound of Ms. Chancellor's voice. I needed to move. I did not want to be caught trespassing in the American embassy again. Once was bad enough. Now that I was a wanted fugitive, it would be ten times worse.

I took the stairs two at a time to the back quad, where I broke into a full-out sprint, trying to stay close to the shadows of the wall. When I reached the border between the American and Russian embassies, I launched myself into the air, landing halfway up the wall. From there, my sprint seamlessly transitioned into a quick climb. It didn't take me long to get up and over the wall. When my feet touched solid ground again, I let out a sigh of relief. The hard part was done now. I was home free. Or so I thought, when I heard the clearing of a throat behind me.

"I told you to be careful." I whipped around, wondering who had caught me and how much shit I was about to get myself into.

"Case in point," Dominic said, shaking his head, a disapproving look on his face. "Just when I thought I had found you in the most dangerous place in Adria, I find you walking out of the American embassy." Talk about embarrassing.

"I had some … business to attend to," I said, treading very carefully. Dominic simply raised an eyebrow at me.

"I get a text from Ambassador Vincent saying his granddaughter is missing and next thing I know, I find you, a wanted fugitive and suspected murderer, just outside the American embassy." Dominic looked at me expectantly, as if he was waiting for me to put the pieces together. I balked when I realized what Dominic was trying to get at.

"Do you seriously think I murdered Grace?" I asked, looking at Dominic incredulously. I'd rather die before killing Grace. If I was ever forced into a situation where I was locked in a room with Grace, a gun, and a bullet, I would gladly shoot myself in the head before killing Grace.

"I'm not saying you did. But for your sake, and that of everyone in the embassy, I'm hoping you didn't." I sighed, as Dominic had once again left me with no choice but to spill my secrets.

"Grace told Jamie about my whereabouts. He found me and accused me of murdering his best friend. I came here to talk to Grace and clear up a few things between us."

Dominic stared at me, an unreadable expression on his face. "As far as I'm concerned, you and James used to be close friends but now, you seem to be mortal enemies."

"Hey, that was all him," I said, shrugging. I didn't have a chance to tell Jamie my side of the story before he decided to come at me, figuratively and literally.

"Well, James seems to think you're a murderer, as does the whole of Adria. So the question is, did you murder John Spencer?" I froze. How was I supposed to answer that? Assert my innocence or admit to a crime I didn't commit? Either way, neither of those options seemed right, not when I was standing in front of Dominic.

His gaze became more intense, as if he was watching me carefully, before continuing. "Regardless of what the public thinks, that's for you to know. I'm not insinuating that you murdered John Spencer. My point is, with the granddaughter of the American ambassador unaccounted for and a Russian fugitive at large, people are going to start assuming things."

"If you really want to know, Grace told me to stay in her bedroom, while she wandered off without another word. I know about as much as you do," I said, holding up my hands in defence.

"You seem to know Grace pretty well, where do you think she is?" Dominic looked at me expectantly.

"Knowing her, likely having illicit meetings, trying to accomplish illegal things way beyond her means," I offered. I didn't know what else she could be up to, not with the way she had suddenly walked off. Dominic nodded, just as a text tone sounded. He pulled out his phone, quickly scrolling through it. His facial expression changed, brows furrowing. Just as quickly, he slid his phone back into his pocket.

"Interesting. Thanks to you, I have an idea of where she might be." Since when could I ever be of help to Dominic, arguably the world's best stealth master? "I need to find her before her grandfather loses his mind. Where are you headed to?"

"Somewhere away from here," I said, not wanting to disclose anything else to Dominic.

"Is it secure?"

"Likely more so than where I was this morning." Dominic nodded then looked down at his watch.

"The Night of a Thousand Amelias is starting in a few hours. If I were you, I'd be very careful and watch my every move. It's only going to get more dangerous from here."

* * *

"Bro, what the hell?" I walked into Jordan's living room, only to find hair products laid out on the coffee table and clothes strewn all over the couch.

"That's all him," Jordan said, nodding at Tanner, who was emptying out a large backpack. "You look refreshed."

"All thanks to you." Jordan had kindly let me use his bathroom for a much-needed shower. Although being at the hot springs with Grace last night was something I'd never forget, it didn't do much for my personal hygiene. I had taken my time washing my hair, scrubbing my body down, and shaving. I felt much more human now, even though I was still in Jamie's clothes.

Tanner finally noticed my presence. He barreled over to me, wrapping me up in a guy hug. "Bro, is it good to see you."

"I literally saw you yesterday," I pointed out, trying not to suffocate from Tanner's tight grip.

"Yeah, but you looked like shit. You're looking much better, now that you've cleaned up," Tanner said, releasing me from the hug.

"I'm going to take that as a compliment," I muttered.

"There's pizza in the kitchen," Jordan said. I headed over there, finding a few pizza boxes on the counter. I grabbed the first box, smiling when I uncovered its contents. Pepperoni bacon, my favourite. I plopped a few slices onto a paper towel, heading back into the living room.

"Good?" Jordan asked, a grin on his face.

"You have no idea," I mumbled around a mouthful of pizza. I would never take freshly cooked, hot food for granted again.

"What is that?" Jordan asked, reaching over to grab a large box with the Amazon logo.

"No touching!" Tanner interjected, promptly slapping Jordan's hand out of the way. "Those are the party masks I got for tonight." Jordan rolled his eyes as Tanner gently opened the box. He removed a ton of bubble wrap and wrapping paper, revealing three full-face masks.

"I got one for each of us, to match our personalities," Tanner said. Only he would go to that level of extra when buying things.

"I definitely know which one is yours," Jordan said, peeking into the box. I leaned over to take a closer look. Each mask had a white base, with eye holes and tiny nose holes. There was one with tons of colourful designs and glitter, one with minimalist black and gold designs, and a plain white one. Despite the intricate designs on two of the masks, my eye was instantly drawn to the plain white mask. It was simple yet classy, perfect for letting me blend in with the crowd.

"I see you like your mask," Tanner said, winking. "I told you it'd be a perfect match for you. Those are one size fits all so they should fit, unless you have an abnormally large or small face."

I took the mask out of the box. It was lightweight but the material still felt sturdy. There was an elastic strap to secure it over the top of my head, as well as a ribbon to tie it around the bottom of my head.

"Because I figured you'd be paranoid, I made sure to find masks that would stay secured to your head," Tanner said. I really had to give him credit for thinking of everything.

"I can't say the same about the capes though," Tanner continued, nodding at a mysterious pile of black cloth. I groaned. I knew it was tradition for the men to wear masks and capes on the Night of a Thousand Amelias but I didn't think Tanner would go that far. However, I really should have known better.

"Wow, where did you get these?" Jordan asked, eyeing them curiously.

"Amazon. Where else?" Tanner said. "Thank God for their two-day express shipping." I grabbed a cape from the pile, letting the material run through my fingers. It was definitely well-made from high-quality material but it was long and flowy, creating a potential tripping hazard.

"Hey, quit getting your greasy pizza fingers all over these beautiful capes!" Tanner shouted. I immediately dropped the cape I was holding.

"Geez, is it really that big a deal?" Jordan asked, rolling his eyes. "When are we ever going to use these again?"

"Next year's Night of a Thousand Amelias," Tanner shot back. "These need to be kept in mint condition." Jordan and I just looked at each other, shrugging.

"Anyways, there's no way you can go out in those clothes," Tanner continued, giving me a once-over.

"It's not like I have any other option," I replied. The clothes on my back were the only thing I could call my own. Everything else had either been left in the cave or my old bedroom at the Russian embassy.

"You're going to stick out like a sore thumb," Tanner said. His facial expression suddenly changed, making me very worried. "But I've got you covered. I ended up ordering a bunch of clothes that were way too big and figured they'd be your size." He tossed a few articles of clothing in my direction. As far as I was concerned, Tanner had an online shopping problem, partly due to the unlimited credit provided by the embassies. He was constantly posting pictures of his new purchases and had been caught online shopping more than once in class.

I looked at the clothes Tanner had kindly provided. A simple black dress shirt and a pair of black skinny jeans. Somehow, they were the right size and definitely my style.

"Fancy enough for tonight's event but simple enough to let you blend in," Tanner said. "Unfortunately, I wasn't going to start guessing your shoe size so I guess those cheap kicks will have to do." I didn't miss the look he gave my shabby sneakers.

"Geez, Tanner, this is just some stupid historical event, not a fancy party," Jordan scoffed. "No one will be paying attention to Alexei's shoes." I had to agree with him there.

"Then at least let me do your hair. People will surely notice that," Tanner said. It was then that I really paid attention to the massive array of hair products on the coffee table, including a few bottles of the dreaded glitter hair spray.

"Fine," I said. "I'm drawing the line at glitter hair spray." Tanner eagerly set to work, gelling my hair up to intense heights. I couldn't help but feel a sense of déjà vu, thinking of the time the three of us had gotten ready for the G-20 summit in my bathroom at the Russian embassy. I wondered if we'd ever have another opportunity to get ready for fancy parties. After Tanner and Jordan finished getting ready, including mounds of glitter hair spray on Tanner's end, we put on our masks and capes.

"Damn, bro, you seriously look like a K-pop star," Jordan said, tying my mask in place. With the crazy gelled hair and the simple black outfit, I really did look the part.

"Don't we all," Tanner said. "Group selfie? I promise I won't post this to social media." I nodded, figuring I'd give Tanner this one. He quickly snapped the pic then the three of us crowded around his phone.

"Wow, we seriously look like a K-pop band, if they wore masks," I noted, thanks to our semi-formal outfits, gelled hair, and costumes.

"Slipknot meets BTS? I dig it," Jordan said, nodding in agreement.

"Totally," Tanner said. "Since this may our last chance to hang out with Alexei, let's make tonight our bitch."

* * *

**Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! ****Next chapter will be up between Oct. 23 and Nov. 2. What do you think will happen to Tanner, Jordan, and Alexei at the Night of a Thousand Amelias? Stay tuned to find out! **

**IMPORTANT LIFE UPDATE****: I start clerkship (AKA my year of clinical rotations) tomorrow. It's my most important school year, as I'll be gaining tons of clinical experience and learning the ins and outs of medical practice. It involves eight 6-week long rotations (plus two 2-week breaks during the holidays and over the summer). That means working long hours in clinic and the hospital, doing overnight call shifts every few nights, and studying for really hard board exams at the end of each rotation. I start with my family medicine rotation, which happens in a rural area, so I'll have a lot of adjustment to do, both with a temporary move and with starting rotations. **

**So I'm going to be insanely busy for the next year and there will be longer waits between the last few chapters (6-8 weeks each, hopefully not much longer). Hence, the next chapter won't be up until Oct. 23 at the earliest (which is when my first rotation ends). This may also affect when I can potentially start posting Take the Key and Lock Her Up in Alexei's POV (which I haven't even finished writing yet). I'm tentatively thinking June 2021 but that will depend on how busy my rotations get and how studying goes. Thank you for your understanding and patience and I'll see you in a little while! :)**


End file.
